Antibiotics _________.

• A. Are never used in cosmetic settings
• B. Are widely overused today
• C. Are the only necessary treatment for infections
• D. Are always safe and risk-free

Answer: (B)

Antibiotics are widely overused today, and that fact matters because it drives resistance and harms patients. They are powerful against bacterial infections, but many illnesses people encounter are viral or self-limiting, where antibiotics offer little to no benefit. Prescribing them in these cases exposes people to possible side effects and allergies, and it also disrupts the normal microbiome. The overuse fuels antimicrobial resistance, meaning bacteria evolve to withstand common drugs, which makes future infections harder to treat and can render standard therapies ineffective. In practice, antibiotics should be reserved for situations with clear bacterial infection or strong suspicion, and chosen with the narrowest possible spectrum for the shortest effective duration. The other statements aren’t correct because antibiotics aren’t never used in cosmetic settings, they aren’t the only necessary treatment for infections, and they aren’t risk-free.