In an attempt to stop the misuse of over-the-counter antibiotic or antimicrobial medication in India, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), a division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has now made it compulsory for doctors to give exact indications while recommending such medications. The DGHS has specifically urged all medical professionals, doctors, medical associations, and pharmacist associations in the country to dispense antibiotic and antimicrobial drugs only on the prescription of a certified doctor. In the letter, health authorities from the DGHS have also asked them to curb the exercise of over-the-counter sale of antibiotics.
They have said that the term exact indications means the definite and accurate motives or medical issues for which antibiotics medications are recommended. The central government has identified the requirement for doctors to state the specific purpose or clinical obligation for prescribing these drugs. This decision is viewed as a significant step towards stopping the sale and misuse of the over-prescription of antibiotics that can cause antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is one of the leading global public health concerns. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also cautioned about the impending threat where common medications lose their efficacy against bacteria and potentially turn common diseases into fatal ones.
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