Dr. SC Mandal Emphasizes Regulators' Role in Addressing AMR Menace

In light of the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), drug regulators have an important role in addressing the current global threat, largely due to the misuse and underuse of antibiotics. Dr Subhash C Mandal is the chairman of Regulatory Affairs, Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA).

As a first step, regulators should properly implement Schedules H and H1 of the Medicines and Drugs Act and stop the illegal sale of antibiotics.Community pharmacists and hospitals should only sell H and H1 antibodies under the prescription of a qualified doctor, says Dr Mandal.

I have heard that some doctors tend to over-prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily. The National Medical Commission has issued several circulars against this trend among doctors, but not all follow it. To stop the threat of AMR, we need to stop distribution without pharmacists and sell the drugs immediately.

As the custodian of national health services, the DGHS wanted pharmacists, as representatives of health services, to be careful to prevent the development of AMR, which threatens health and people today. According to Dr. Mandal, the executive arm of the IPA intends to work with the government on all policy and action issues to combat antimicrobial threats caused primarily by the development of resistant pathogens. He said doctors and pharmacists have an important role in preventing the development of antibacterial drugs.

Dr. Mandal told Dr. Atul Goel, DGHS, that proper use of antibiotics is the only way to slow the development of resistance. "Governments have put many policies and laws in place to address the threat of AMR, but none are being fully implemented. If the authorities are serious about their work, they can prevent 50% of the growth by applying DandC rules. Supplying H and H1 medicines without a pharmacist and a prescription is not allowed. "This is the best time for the local medical community to serve as medical experts in crises," he said.