In India, a significant portion of the population is unaware of the proper procedure for disposing of drugs and checking their expiry dates before use. This lack of awareness leads to the misuse of drugs, which can result in complications. The use of over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotics has also contributed to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
To address this issue, India’s largest drug regulator, the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), is formulating guidelines to establish rules and regulations for the proper disposal of drugs. These guidelines aim to prevent drug misuse and curb antimicrobial resistance. In the future, AMR is expected to be one of the greatest threats the world will face. AMR occurs when bacteria become resistant to antibiotics due to frequent misuse, leading to difficulties in treating infections. These guidelines will help mitigate AMR issues.
This initiative also aims to curb the anti-microbial resistance of drugs due to wrong methods of discharging drugs and chemicals into environment which is a threat to the environment, causing serious problems to aquatic life and negative impact on the ecosystem,
Government Official
Another way AMR develops is when antibiotics are improperly disposed of in the environment, exposing various bacteria to these drugs and enabling them to evolve resistance. The new guidelines will also focus on improving the drug disposal system.
The subcommittee of the Drug Consultative Committee (DCC) created a report on safe disposal of unused and expired drugs and discussed it extensively with the DCC. The DCC agreed with the subcommittee's recommendations and requested further review of the proposed procedures in the draft.
In our economy, healthcare expenditure constitutes a significant portion, yet there is no proper drug disposal system. In contrast, the USA has a drug take-back system in place within its healthcare facilities. The Indian pharmaceutical market is valued at ₹1.8 trillion, of which ₹270 crore worth of medicines are wasted due to storage beyond their shelf life.
The total revenue of the pharmaceutical sector is about ₹2.10 trillion and not more than 2% of medicines get expired. Largely, we do send these expired medicines to the incineration site of the company for the destruction of drugs. But medicines which remain unused and expired at home need to be disposed of carefully. It should not be thrown in garbage as it can be consumed by animals and can cause environmental damage. We also train pharmacy owners for safe and proper disposal of medicines
Rajiv Singhal, President and General Secretary of the AIOCD
According to several experts, there is an urgent need for patient education, awareness, and proper guidance on the disposal of unused and expired medicines to keep the environment safe and healthy. Rajiv Singhal, President and General Secretary of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists, stated that 2% of the total pharmaceutical sector's products expire annually. He also mentioned that there is a process where these medications are sent to the company's interaction site, but the problem arises when medicines kept at home beyond their shelf life are discarded in regular garbage, where they might be exposed to animals.
nput from various sources
(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)
