In what can be said as a major step towards addressing the growing issue of antibiotic resistance, media reports have said that the Union Health Ministry has asked doctors to mention the reason while prescribing antibiotics.
According to sources, Dr. Atul Goel, the Director General of Health Services, has appealed to all doctors in medical colleges to "mandatorily mention the exact indication/ reason/ justification while prescribing antimicrobials" in a letter. Not only doctors but pharmacists have also been told to "implement Schedule H and H1 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules and sell antibiotics only on valid prescriptions. It is important that doctors mention the exact indication on their prescriptions while prescribing antimicrobials," according to the letter.
