FT266


The myth

You mustn’t drink alcohol while you’re on antibiotics. If you do, you’ll get ill, or the antis won’t work, or both.


The "truth"

In general, there is no reason at all to give up booze while on a course of antibiotics. Check with your pharmacist before heading for the off-license, because there are a few, specific antis which could cause side effects if mixed with alcohol. But the widespread advice to avoid the cocktail at all times has no basis whatsoever in pharmacology. Some medical historians suggest an intriguing origin for this myth. In the early days of penicillin being used to treat VD, doctors – especially those attached to the armed forces – spotted a perfect opportunity to limit the harm done to their patients by excessive drinking, if only for the duration of the antibiotic course.