(a) whether the Government has formulated a draft antibiotic policy to check
the recurrence of the cases of drug resistant infections by restricting and
rationalising the use of antibiotics in the country;
(b) if so, the salient features of the said policy;
(c) the steps taken/proposed by the Government to ensure that all antibiotics
are sold by the medicine shops only on doctor`s prescription; and
(d) the time by which the antibiotic policy is likely to be operationalised?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY)
(a) to (d): A Task Force was constituted under the Chairmanship of Director
General of Health Services to assess, review and suggest measures on anti-microbio
resistent. The Task Force, in its recommendations, has inter alia suggested to
include a separate Schedule under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules to regulate sale
of antibiotics, curtailing the availability of Fixed Dose combinations, colour
coding of third generation of antibiotics and restricting their access only to
tertiary care hospitals, development of standardised AST (Antimicrobial
Susceptibility Testing) methodology, development of detailed Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs) for microbial identification and for reporting
and training of doctors.
There are provisions under the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules, which mandate
that antibiotics are sold on the prescription of a Registered Medical
Practitioner (RMP).