Health department plans to regulate sale of antibiotics

BENGALURU: The use of antibiotic drugs has increased lately with people almost getting hooked to them even for common cold, fever and body aches. But this is proving dangerous to people’s lives and thus,  the state Health Department has some plans to regulate the use of antibiotic pills.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundurao, speaking to the media about regulating the sale of antibiotics, said the department has decided to draw up guidelines for antibiotic use in the state. Antibiotics are being used unbridled which has led to loss of lives. The health department has raised concerns about the excessive use of antibiotics, which may cause some serious diseases, including TB. People are buying such medicines directly from medical stores without a doctor’s prescription. This has increased the worry for the health department.

He further said, “The antibiotics are being sold in drug stores with total disregard for guidelines. The users do know how to take those medicines. The health department has decided to ban such antibiotics”.

The health department has plans to draft separate guidelines for the usage of drugs in the dairy and animal husbandry departments, and they are likely to be released soon.