‘Tis the season for sniffles and coughs and other symptoms of the common cold. Antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections. Bacterial infections generall... read full tip

‘Tis the season for sniffles and coughs and other symptoms of the common cold. Antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections. Bacterial infections generally involve ailments that end in -itis. Most colds and flus are viral infections that antibiotics are completely powerless against.

So, if you or loved ones are experiencing cold symptoms, skip the antibiotics. You may save up to $20 or more by leaving your prescription unfilled. Each year, cold sufferers needlessly spend more than $1 billion on antibiotic prescriptions, despite the fact that the drugs can't cure viral illnesses. If that money were applied to household energy instead, it would be enough to meet the daily heating needs of 12 million U.S. homes from Halloween to Groundhog Day.

The Economic Burden of Non-Influenza-Related Viral Respiratory Tract Infection in the United States