People taking medicines without thinking in the country: 500 crore antibiotic tablets were bought in a year, in which azithromycin tops

The purchase of antibiotics in India had increased significantly since the beginning of the corona epidemic. However, before that the situation was similar. According to a recent study published in Lancet Regional Health South East Asia Journal, 500 crore antibiotic tablets were consumed in the country in 2019. Many of these drugs are such, which have not even got approval from the drug controller.

such research
The researchers analyzed data from the private sector drug sales database PharmaTrac. This data was gathered from 9 thousand vendors. The experts then used defined daily dose (DDD) metrics to calculate the per capita private sector consumption of antibiotics across multiple categories. To consume any drug, an average dose is fixed, which is called DDD.

azithromycin best selling drug
Research results show that 500 crore DDDs were consumed in 2019. This equates to 10.4 DDD per 1,000 people every day. According to scientists, azithromycin 500 mg tablet is consumed the most in the country. It was consumed by 7.6% in a year. At the same time, Cefixime 200 mg tablet is second with 6.5%.

people taking drugs without thinking
According to the report, people of India start taking antibiotics without thinking and do not pay attention to the harm caused by them. Leading researcher Dr Shafi says – Antibiotics drugs that are used against unknown bacteria, they also need to be used carefully. Such a drug should be used only when the patient’s life is in danger and there is a strong suspicion of unknown bacteria inside him.

Many drugs not approved
Only 45.5% of the drugs included in the research follow the norms of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). Shafi said companies get licenses from states without the permission of the central regulator. This entanglement further complicates the availability and sale of antibiotics in the country.