Nagaland’s Drugs Control Administration has advised against indiscriminate use of painkillers and antibiotics, warning of health risks including chronic kidney disease.
DIMAPUR — The Drugs Control Administration under the Nagaland Directorate of Health & Family Welfare has issued a health safety advisory cautioning the public against the indiscriminate use of painkillers, particularly Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), and antibiotics, citing associated health risks including chronic kidney disease.
The advisory, issued pursuant to a directive and advisory of the Drugs Controller General (India), Central Drugs Control Organisation, seeks to promote the safe and rational use of medicines and prevent avoidable risks to public health.
The public has been advised not to take NSAIDs, painkillers or antibiotics indiscriminately, repeatedly or for prolonged periods without medical advice.
Antibiotics should not be used for self-medication or for conditions where they are not clinically indicated, including most uncomplicated viral infections.
Patients have also been advised to take antibiotics strictly as prescribed by healthcare professionals and not to share them with others or use leftover medicines.
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Those with pre-existing kidney disease or other risk factors for renal impairment have been urged to inform their healthcare providers before using NSAIDs.
The advisory further calls on individuals to seek medical advice when pain, fever or other symptoms persist or recur rather than repeatedly using painkillers or antibiotics without professional guidance.
For healthcare professionals, the advisory recommends prescribing NSAIDs and antibiotics only when clinically indicated, taking into account the patient's condition, age, co-morbidities, concomitant medicines and other risk factors. NSAIDs should be prescribed at the lowest effective dose for the shortest appropriate duration, particularly for patients at increased risk of renal impairment.
Healthcare professionals have also been advised to exercise caution when prescribing NSAIDs to patients with renal impairment, dehydration, cardiovascular disease or other conditions that may increase associated risks.
With regard to antibiotics, the advisory calls for judicious prescribing in line with antimicrobial stewardship principles. Doctors have been advised to consider the likely causative organism, site and severity of infection and, where appropriate, relevant microbial investigations and local antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.
Unnecessary combination therapy, inappropriate antibiotic selection, incorrect dosing and unnecessarily prolonged treatment should be avoided.
The advisory also places responsibilities on pharmacists, retailers and distributors to comply strictly with statutory requirements governing the sale and distribution of Schedule H, H1 and other prescription drugs. Schedule H and H1 medicines should not be sold at retail except in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Drugs Rules, 1945.
Pharmacists and retailers have been advised not to encourage or facilitate self-medication with antibiotics or prescription-only NSAIDs and to comply with prescribed warnings and conditions of sale appearing on medicine labels.
Hospitals and healthcare institutions have also been urged to strengthen systems for rational prescribing and monitoring of NSAIDs and antibiotics, while promoting antimicrobial stewardship, prescription review and appropriate patient counselling.