Sure. In a few days they are feeling better, the doctor must have been correct in his diagnosis an prescription! Even though the virus just ran its course and the antibiotic had no effect whatsoever.
Even many illnesses with biological origin would resolve themselves without treatment. I worked for a company back in the day that had a clinical trial (550 patients) that were first tested positive for strep throat - half were dosed with the antibiotic and half placebo. The cure rate for the drug was 70% (which met the threshold required for FDA approval which was exactly 70%) but the cure rate for placebo as I recall was 50% (all within a fairly short time frame). All patients eventually recovered, just some reached cure faster than others due to treatment.
I think the tide has turned a bit on antibiotic overprescribing - blue, what do you see in practice?
Strep throat isn’t a great example. You need to treat that because of the possibility of rheumatic fever. So most pediatricians are giving a full course if you have a positive swab or throat culture.
But for things like ear infections and respiratory illnesses? Yes the tide has turned quite a bit. Lot harder to get antibiotics now.
