I have a collection of antibiotic prescriptions that were routinely given to my kids at the public clinic (South American country here) at the smallest sign of a sore throat or some other infection. I didn't give them the antibiotics and my kids got well after a few days (they did take antibiotics whenever it was more serious). At the other end of the aisle, I have friends who will switch doctors if they don't prescribe their kids an antibiotic whenever there's a simple sore throat. A lot of doctors here will prescribe them right and left, just to be safe from any later criticism of not giving their patients enough medication. Oh, and I never had a doctor here ask for a test to see wether a throat infection was viral or bacterial.