FDA to tackle misuse of Antimicrobial drugs
KOZHIKODE: Aimed at curbing the misuse of antimicrobial drugs and the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance, the Food and Drugs Administration, Kerala (FDA) has decided to embark on a series of awareness campaigns among pharmacists and medical shop owners in Kozhikode, Malappuram and Wayanad districts.
The first such session will be held for the target group within Kozhikode city corporation limits on January 21.
FDA officials said the overuse or misuse of drugs was often cited as the factor that contributes the most to the rise of antimicrobial resistance.
Poor compliance with statutory provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 had also led to the misuse of such medicines, they added.
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Inappropriate prescription practices, prescription errors and lack of proper treatment guidelines have also been cited as possible reasons aggravating issues in the sector.
The FDA believes that better awareness among pharmacists in the area will help surmount the challenge as the World Health Organisation has identified anti-microbial resistance as the biggest threat to public health, food security and development.
K. Sujith Kumar, Assistant Drugs Controller, Kozhikode, said the community pharmacy sector, being a major conduit for the distribution of antimicrobial agents, had a major role to play in deciding the outcome of any activity designed to regulate the use of antimicrobial agents.
The main objective of the workshop was to foster collaboration among the public, those prescribing medicines, community pharmacy owners, practising pharmacists and regulators to tackle concerns, he added.
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In a circular issued as part of its campaigns, the FDA said the emergence of new resistance mechanisms and drug resistant super bugs largely ended up in increasing treatment cost, prolonged hospital stays and rise in mortality rates.
With many commonly available drugs becoming ineffective and effective substitute being unavailable, there might arise a situation when even common illnesses or injuries could turn lethal, they warned.
