I refer to the article ‘Antibiotics: too much of a good thing’, (The Sunday Times of Malta, November 19).

I am a semi-resident in Malta. I have often heard my Maltese friends comment that after visiting their doctor they often come away having been prescribed antibiotics. Well, this is not the case in the UK.

In my local medical practice there are notices stating that no amount of antibiotics will cure a cold and sore throat, and recently I had to endure a troublesome cough after a flu virus and my GP adamantly refused me any antibiotics.

My GP’s quote was it will lessen by itself, just give it time. That is the general consensus in most of our medical centres so I guess antibiotics are maybe in a lot of cases a quick fix which in the long term may reduce our natural immune system.

Perhaps the title ‘Too much of a good thing’ needs questioning?