{"id":189545,"date":"2025-06-16T17:41:23","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T17:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/189545\/"},"modified":"2025-06-16T17:41:23","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T17:41:23","slug":"telangana-joins-kerala-in-crackdown-on-antibiotic-misuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/189545\/","title":{"rendered":"Telangana joins Kerala in crackdown on antibiotic misuse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Raids conducted across 193 locations in multiple districts uncovered pharmacies brazenly selling antibiotics without proper prescriptions, operating without registered pharmacists, and failing to maintain mandatory drug registers. <\/p>\n

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Published Jun 15, 2025 | 8:00 AM \u268a Updated Jun 15, 2025 | 8:00 AM<\/p>\n


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\"As<\/p>\n

The WHO has declared that antimicrobial resistance is one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity.<\/p>\n

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Synopsis<\/strong>: In response to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, now considered one of the top global health threats by the World Health Organization, Telangana on Thursday launched a sweeping crackdown on the illegal sale of antibiotics, uncovering widespread violations such as sales without prescriptions, a lack of qualified pharmacists, and failure to maintain mandatory drug registers.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Telangana Drug Control Administration (DCA) launched a comprehensive state-wide crackdown on the indiscriminate sale of antibiotics on Thursday, 12 June.<\/p>\n

The operation, aimed at curbing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) \u2013 which the World Health Organization has declared<\/a> as one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity \u2013 has revealed alarming violations.<\/p>\n

Raids conducted across 193 medical establishments in multiple districts uncovered medical shops brazenly selling antibiotics without proper prescriptions, operating without registered pharmacists, and failing to maintain mandatory drug registers.<\/p>\n

The action follows the Kerala government\u2019s recent suspension<\/a> of 450 pharmacy licences and the cancellation of five more in a crackdown on the misuse of antibiotics. The move is part of the state\u2019s Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan.<\/p>\n

The Health Department in Kerala has introduced stricter rules on prescriptions and has already reduced unnecessary antibiotic use by up to 30 percent.<\/p>\n

Also Read: What is antimicrobial resistance? Which is touted as the silent pandemic by doctors<\/a>
\nWidespread regulatory non-compliance<\/b><\/p>\n

The investigation uncovered multiple layers of non-compliance that paint a troubling picture of antibiotic governance in the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cMedical establishments were found selling antibiotics without prescriptions from quacks, issuing medicines without proper sale bills, and operating in the absence of qualified pharmacists. Perhaps most concerning was the widespread failure to maintain Schedule H1 Drug Registers and Prescription Registers specifically for antibiotics \u2013 critical documentation systems designed to track and monitor antibiotic distribution,\u201d said the DCA in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cAntimicrobial resistance or AMR is a global health care crisis,\u201d said Shahnawaz Qasim, Director General of the Drug Control Administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe WHO has declared that AMR is one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity. It is estimated by WHO that bacterial antimicrobial resistance was directly responsible for 12.7 lakh global deaths in 2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statistics are particularly sobering for India, which reports among the highest rates of antimicrobial resistance worldwide.<\/p>\n

Also Read: Antibiotics used to treat respiratory, skin infections faces high antimicrobial resistance in Hyderabad\u2019s open drainage system: Study<\/a>
\nWhat antimicrobial resistance means for public health<\/b><\/p>\n

Antimicrobial resistance represents a complex challenge that extends far beyond simple medication misuse.<\/p>\n

The phenomenon encompasses resistance to antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics, with bacterial antibiotic resistance showing the most alarming global increase.<\/p>\n

When bacteria develop the ability to withstand antibiotic effects, common infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat, leading to the emergence of dangerous \u201csuperbugs\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen used incorrectly, bacteria start to acquire resistance to the antibiotics designed to kill them,\u201d Qasim explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a result of drug resistance, antibiotics become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat. When bacteria become resistant, they develop into superbugs which can spread from person to person.\u201d<\/p>\n

The development of antimicrobial resistance, while a natural evolutionary phenomenon, has been dramatically accelerated by human actions.<\/p>\n

Over-prescribing by healthcare providers, inappropriate use in agriculture and livestock, and the unregulated over-the-counter sale of antibiotics have created a perfect storm for resistance development.<\/p>\n

Also Read: At a Tamil Nadu dental clinic, patients walked in with tooth pain \u2013 and left with a deadly brain infection<\/a>
\nExisting laws and the path to stronger enforcement<\/b><\/p>\n

The legal foundation for the current crackdown rests on the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and associated rules, which classify antibiotics as prescription drugs under Schedule H and Schedule H1 classifications.<\/p>\n

These regulations explicitly prohibit the sale of antibiotics without proper medical prescriptions, making the violations discovered during the raids punishable offences.<\/p>\n

\u201cAntibiotics are prescription drugs,\u201d Qasim emphasised.<\/p>\n

\u201cAntibiotics cannot be sold by medical shops or pharmacies without the prescription of a qualified doctor. Over-the-counter sale of antibiotics to patients by medical shops and pharmacies is punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 193 show cause notices issued represent the first step in a systematic enforcement process that could result in significant penalties for violating establishments.<\/p>\n

The DCA has indicated that appropriate action will be taken in accordance with existing legal provisions, signalling a zero-tolerance approach to antibiotic misuse.<\/p>\n

Also Read: Unregulated growth: The perilous gaps in India\u2019s booming e-pharmacy sector<\/a>
\nAddressing AMR requires action across sectors<\/b><\/p>\n

DCA also said that the fight against AMR requires coordination across multiple sectors and stakeholders. Healthcare providers must implement rigorous infection prevention and control measures while ensuring antibiotics are prescribed only when necessary and appropriate.<\/p>\n

The agricultural sector faces pressure to eliminate the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in livestock, poultry, and fish farming.<\/p>\n

Environmental factors also play a crucial role, with pollution from pharmaceutical manufacturing units and inappropriate disposal of unused antibiotics contributing to resistance development.<\/p>\n

\u201cPreventing antimicrobial resistance is a complex task and requires a multifaceted approach involving doctors and other health care professionals, regulatory authorities, industries and general public,\u201d Qasim noted.<\/p>\n

Beyond enforcement, the DCA has launched an extensive public education campaign emphasising individual responsibility in combating antimicrobial resistance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe public has a crucial role in combating antimicrobial resistance,\u201d Qasim stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cAntibiotics should be used only when prescribed by a qualified doctor. Antimicrobial resistance can occur when you take an antibiotic that you do not need. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics is harmful.\u201d<\/p>\n

The educational component emphasises that antibiotics are effective only against bacterial infections, not viral conditions, and stresses the importance of completing full treatment courses even when symptoms improve.<\/p>\n

The campaign also discourages sharing antibiotics or using leftover medications from previous treatments.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe medicine smart!\u201d Qasim urged the public.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore you use antibiotics or buy them from medical shops, stop and think: If I take this without a prescription, will it stop working for me when I need it? Please remember: When you take antibiotics even if you don\u2019t need them, they can stop working when you need them most.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Edited by Dese Gowda)<\/p>\n

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