Compulsory To Mention Reasons For Prescribing Antibiotics, Doctors Told

All doctors have been asked to compulsorily mention exact reason while prescribing antibiotics or antimicrobial drugs, says the latest note from the Centre. The move aims to stop the misuse and overuse of anti-microbials as they are one of the main drivers in the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens.

According to the WHO, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a silent pandemic that could potentially lead to over one crore deaths by the end of 2050 globally.

"It is an urgent appeal to all doctors in medical colleges to mandatorily mention exact indication/reason/justification while prescribing anti-microbials," said an advisory from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), a wing under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

It is estimated that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and 4.95 million deaths were associated with drug resistant infections, said the advisory, adidng that it puts the gains of modern medicine at risk.

"It threatens the effective prevention and treatment of infections caused by resistant microbes, resulting in prolonged illness and greater risk of death. Treatment failures also lead to longer periods of infectivity and prohibitive high cost of the second-line drugs may result in failure to treat these diseases in many individuals," it added.

Similarly, the pharmacists across the country too have been asked to "stop over the counter sale of antibiotics and sell them only on prescription of a qualified doctor".

"Under Drugs & Cosmetics Rules 1945, antibiotics are included in the list of drugs specified under Schedule H, which are required to be sold by retail on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) only," it added further.