Chennai: Despite rules, several pharmacies in the city continue to distribute medicines and drugs over the counter. Among the lot, the sale of antibiotics is something that healthcare experts raise their concern over.
Speaking about the intensity of the problem, Fortis Malar Hospital senior consultant physician and diabetologist, Dr Vinod Prem Anand, stated that the phenomenon is widely prevalent.
“The situation will not change unless rules are implemented strictly. In the case of other countries like the US, one can get basic medicines for treating cold/cough whereas in India, it is easy to get any tablet – from painkillers to antibiotics – without prescription,” said Dr Vinod.
Experts call for a policy on antibiotics to curb such irrational practices. Doctors Association for Social Equality general secretary, Dr G R Ravindranath, said, “The Centre had announced the same two years ago, but it has not seen the light of day yet. The policy should speak about rational usage and protocol for doctors to suggest.”
Such indiscriminate practices raise the question of the amount of research carried out in the sector to develop new combinations. When asked about this, experts unanimously stated that there has not been much research in the field and point to the lack of funding from the government. “In the last 10 years, only 16 antibiotics have made their way to the market. Pharmaceutical companies are not investing much in this sector,” said Dr Ravindranath.
Dr Vinod added, “The problem with easy availability of antibiotics is that without knowing the implications or usage of medicines, people pop it just for simple conditions like cough or fever. Due to this, patients tend to develop resistance towards the drug which is of concern across the globe. Coupled with this is the evolution of bacteria that requires a lot of analysis for a doctor to prescribe an antibiotic for a patient as it has experienced the effects of several medicines.”
In addition to human consumption, Ravindranath pointed out that the same drugs are being used in poultry and apiary farms which magnifies the existing crisis.
Drugs Control director, Sivabalan, said, “When the drugs categorised as H, H1 and X under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, are sold over the counter, we file a case and take action.”
On controlling unethical practices, he maintained that the department enforces rules, and added, “A drug inspector has to check 50 stores and take seven samples a month to enforce the law.”
However, when this reporter visited a few stores in T Nagar and Nungambakkam, antibiotics, among many other medicines, were easy to source without a prescription.
