Govt to stop over the counter sale of 40 more drugs
Besides, packs of H1 drugs will carry a prominent warning in red stating that it is dangerous to take these drugs without doctor’s prescription.
The decision, which Central Drugs and Standards Control Organisation hopes will arrest the rising incidence of resistance to antibiotics in the country, was taken at the 62nd meeting of Drug Technical Advisory Board Wednesday. The final list of drugs, which will largely comprise third and fourth generation antibiotics like imipenem, meropenem, cefaclor, tigecycline and some pain-killers like tramadol, is under preparation. Once it is finalised, the Health Ministry is expected to issue a notification and the Drug Controller General of India will send instructions to states for stringent monitoring and surprise inspections of pharmacies to ensure compliance.
Drug resistance in India, especially among tuberculosis patients — reports of a totally drug resistant TB variety from Mumbai had sent the health fraternity into a tizzy last year — has been a matter of international concern. Revelation of “superbug” NDM1 in 2008 that was resistant to a range of antibiotics and claims that it had originated in Indian hospitals had further aggravated these concerns. So a committee was set up under the former DG, Health
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