The impact of different antibiotic prescribing strategies for lower respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in people aged over 16 years has been assessed in a new prospective cohort study.¹ Antibiotics continue to be commonly prescribed for RTIs, despite repeated advice to GPs to curb prescriptions owing to lack of efficacy and concerns over resistance. Possible reasons include GPs’ reluctance to antagonise patients, patients’ unrealistic expectations about time to resolution of …