Antimicrobials, which include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and anti-parasitics, are prescribed by doctors with the stipulation that they include the words “indication, reason and justification.”
The Drugs Rules, 1945 contain antibiotics under Schedules H and H1, which stipulate that they can only be sold with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. However, these medications are frequently offered over-the-counter without a prescription because of a lack of understanding and a lack of strict enforcement of the law.
Source: India Today
Drug-resistant bacteria are mostly the result of the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials. In 2019, drug-resistant illnesses were linked to 4.95 million fatalities worldwide, whereas bacterial AMR caused 1.27 million deaths. According to the DGHS, AMR poses a threat to the efficient diagnosis, treatment, and avoidance of illnesses brought on by resistant microorganisms, increasing the likelihood of a protracted illness and even death.
The “red line” AMR awareness campaign was started in 2016 by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which asked people not to purchase or use medications (including antibiotics) marked with a red vertical line without a prescription. Later that year, a UK study, whose conclusion was made public, praised India for this action and suggested that, if necessary, antibiotic packaging labelling be enhanced before being implemented globally.
Source: Medical Dialogue
Evaluating the campaign’s performance over the previous eight years is essential, as is closing any gaps that are preventing it from working as intended. The norms and rules must be followed by a variety of parties, including customers, pharma companies, doctors, and pharmacists, in order to reduce the indiscriminate prescription, sale, and use of antibiotics. In order to better prepare India for AMR-induced health threats, the AMR surveillance and research network, which was developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research, needs to be strengthened.
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