With antimicrobial resistance on the rise, the Union Well being Ministry has urged docs to put in writing down the precise purpose when prescribing antibiotics. On the similar time, the pharmacists have been urged to not dispense these medicines with out a legitimate prescription as specified by the legislation.
A letter despatched earlier this month to the affiliation of docs, Union Director Common of Well being Companies Dr Atul Goel states: “It is vital that docs point out the precise indication on their prescriptions whereas prescribing antimicrobials. It’s an pressing enchantment to all docs in medical faculties to mandatorily point out the precise indication, purpose, or justification whereas prescribing antimicrobials.”
The letter urged medical faculties to set an instance of even handed use of antibiotics for the following technology of docs.
The letter, additionally despatched to the affiliation of pharmacists, reiterated the provisions of the Medication and Cosmetics Act, which specify that antimicrobials needs to be offered solely on prescription from a registered medical practitioner.Antimicrobials are listed underneath Schedule H and H1 of the Medication and Cosmetics Act, each of that are classes of medicines that can’t be offered with out a prescription.
The information of sale of Schedule H1 medication — which embody third and fourth technology antimicrobials — must be maintained for a interval of three years.
“Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials is among the predominant drivers in growth of drug resistant pathogens. With few new antibiotics within the analysis and growth pipeline, prudent antibiotic use is the one choice to delay the event of resistance…. Trying ahead to your assist to advertise even handed use of antimicrobials to cut back emergence of resistance,” each the letters learn.
This comes on the heels of a current survey by the Nationwide Centre for Illness Management (NCDC) which confirmed that 71.9% of the sufferers coming to tertiary care hospitals had been prescribed antibiotics. And, greater than half of those prescriptions had been to not deal with an an infection however administered as prophylaxis (preventive) earlier than procedures and surgical procedures.
“Such a excessive degree of prophylactic use of antibiotics is regarding. Whereas it’s not really helpful, many physicians prescribe antibiotics to individuals with viral an infection to forestall a supra-added bacterial an infection. And, with regards to surgeons, nearly everybody prescribes antibiotics for so long as 15 days. It is because they’re so scared that their sufferers will get an an infection, however (this) must be prevented,” Dr Purva Mathur, professor of microbiology and a part of the hospital an infection management staff on the trauma centre of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, informed Indian Categorical beforehand.