For decades, researchers thought that bacteria become resistant to antibiotics if patients stopped taking these drugs early.

(CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA) You’ve probably heard it for years, every time you get a prescription for antibiotics: “Make sure to take all the pills.”

Traditionally, clinicians have given two reasons for these strict instructions: So the infection doesn’t come back, and so you don’t end up with bugs so hearty that antibiotics can’t kill them.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.