PIL seeks curbs on antibiotics sale without prescription

A Mumbai-based lawyer has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Bombay High Court seeking a directive to restrict over-the-counter sale of antibiotics in India, the world’s “largest consumer of antibiotics”.

The petition followed investigation by an activist who found that antibiotics under ‘restricted use’ were freely available over the counter across pharmacies in India.

The PIL pointed to the United Nations high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance and said a UN declaration had asked countries to come up with an action plan to curb the misuse of antibiotics by 2018. “That the pressure is on India, the world’s largest consumer of antibiotics and where carelessness in antibiotic use and environmental antibiotic pollution has been documented,” the petition said.

Antibiotic drugs are part of a nearly Rs. 17,000-crore business in India, growing at 5-6% annually. India is one of the biggest consumers of antibiotics. These drugs are also used rampantly in agriculture, specifically for poultry and livestock.