HYDERABAD: people going to a pharmacy usually frown when asked about a prescription to collect antibiotics. Officials from the Telangana Drug Control Administration (DCA) said that people contact them complaining about antibiotics not being issued to them with a proper prescription.
While state’s drug inspectors claimed that they are strict about the rule, many violations are recorded regularly indicating that pharmacy stores still sell antibiotics without prescription. In fact, in the past week, 14 such violations have been recorded.
Antibiotics are listed under Schedule-H and H1, which are to to be sold only against prescription. Most of the complainants are educated. Drug inspectors said that consumers have their cheat-code to get the drugs. “Some people use the same prescription multiple times to buy antibiotics. Starting from treating infections such as sore-throat, antibiotics are used in post-operative surgeries such as after liver transplantation. Some doctors, under pressure from patients seeking immediate cure, prescribe powerful antibiotics instead of first level drugs of the category. People, doctors, pharmacy store owners, should feel responsible about this issue,” said a drug inspector. A few people use photos of prescriptions to buy medicines.
“In my experience, it is the literates who have issues in following the rules. An assistant professor with a Ph D degree called me complaining about the same. I told him that prescription is needed to buy antibiotics. He asked me if I would pay his doctor’s bill if were to get a prescription,” a drug inspector said.
A DCA official “While we explain to them that Schedule H and H1 drugs cannot be sold without prescription, they ask us for the rules. The rule is implemented throughout the state. In fact, a minister from Telangana asked me the same question when he wanted an antibiotic.”