Latest news with #AMR
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Name slips to promote messages against drug abuse in schools
As schools reopen this week after the summer vacation, the children have something new awaiting them in schools. In an initiative targeted at schoolchildren, the Kerala's Drugs Control department is launching a series of name slips to drive home the message against drug abuse. The department is releasing colourful and attractive name slips which will feature popular cartoon figures and cinema/sports stars along with messages on the dangers of drug abuse and how children can keep the drug menace at bay. The idea is to make children aware from a very young age that they should stay away from drugs and how harmful drugs can be for health, Health Minister Veena George said in a statement here on Saturday. The name slips will be distributed to all schools by the General Education department. Antibiotic literacy This is not the first time that the Drugs Control department is using name slips to create awareness on socially relevant themes. Earlier, it had chosen the slips to educate children on antimicrobial resistance, as part of a campaign to promote antibiotic literacy amongst citizens. These name slips, carrying messages on AMR, had been released in Alapuzha district and had been very popular amongst children. Ms. George said the Drugs Control department has been taking stringent steps to curb drug abuse in the State and that recently, it had appealed to the Union Health Minister to intervene, to restrict the sale of drugs through online pharmacies.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists issue dire warning after discovering why viruses and bacteria could soon become more dangerous: 'Urgent need for global cooperation'
A new study predicts that warming global temperatures could make it harder to fight infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. A team of Chinese scientists has projected that if we continue down a path of heavy reliance on planet-warming fuels, antimicrobial resistance — the ability of microorganisms like bacteria and viruses to survive against the drugs designed to treat them — could rise by more than 2% globally by 2050. The paper, summarized by the University of Minnesota, also predicted that if countries are able to meet sustainable development goals, AMR levels could be reduced by about 5%. But even if some of the sustainable development goals are met, the authors say an overheating planet could still raise AMR levels due to factors like more extreme weather events that bring heavy precipitation and flooding, or altered animal habitats and natural microbial ecosystems that facilitate the spread of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases. "These challenges highlight the urgent need for global cooperation in developing and implementing strategies to address the interconnected and evolving threats posed by climate change and AMR," they said. AMR "puts many of the gains of modern medicine at risk," according to the World Health Organization, which said it makes infections harder to treat and makes other medical procedures like chemotherapy riskier. In addition to death and disability, the organization also projects AMR could result in $1 trillion in additional healthcare costs by 2050, and $1-3.4 trillion in gross domestic product losses per year by 2030. Still, it is just one of the many health concerns associated with rising global temperatures. For instance, scientists say a warmer planet is likely to blame for an uptick of infections from "brain-eating" amoebas, which led to several deaths in India and Israel in 2024. Plus, warmer temperatures are helping disease-carrying ticks spread further west and north in North America. For example, Lyme disease risk doubled in the Canadian province of Quebec and tripled in Manitoba between 2000 and 2015. A number of governments are taking steps to address planet-heating pollution, which will also help clean up the air we breathe. For instance, Wales is banning most new roadway projects to cut down on traffic pollution. You can help by decreasing your reliance on dirty fuels like gas, coal, and oil. One way to do this is by riding your bike or taking public transportation more often. You can also sign up for community solar. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Health
- Business Standard
CDSCO lists 17 drugs safe to flush to prevent harm from misuse at home
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has released a list of 17 medicines—including opioids such as fentanyl, tapentadol and buprenorphine—permitting the general public to flush them down the sink or toilet to prevent harm to people and pets in the home. The list is part of the central drug regulator's draft guidance document for the safe disposal of unused or expired drugs, aimed at preventing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and other public health risks. 'There is a small number of medicines that may be especially harmful and, in some cases, fatal with just one dose if they are used by someone other than the person for whom the medicine was prescribed,' the CDSCO stated in a guidance document dated 26 May. The CDSCO added that the objective of the guidance document is to provide clear and comprehensive instructions, in accordance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and other applicable laws, for the safe disposal of expired and unused drugs. Unscientific disposal of unused or expired medicines is considered one of the primary sources of environmental pollution, with carelessly discarded antibiotics seeping into soil and water bodies and eventually affecting human life. 'In an effort to tackle the unsafe disposal of unused drugs, state governments, in coordination with local bodies, may establish the methodology and facilities for the collection and disposal of unused or expired drugs according to the provisions of the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016,' the document added. The draft guidance also details methods for the collection, storage, transport and disposal of 11 other types of expired or unused drug dosages and packaging, with separate instructions for manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, hospitals and other stakeholders. These include anti-infectives, antineoplastics, radioactive drugs, and medicines in packaging such as ampoules, aerosol canisters and PVC materials, among others. The draft proposal for the safe disposal of unused and expired medicines comes five years after it was first placed at the 58th meeting of the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) of the CDSCO in July 2020. The committee had recommended constituting a sub-committee to examine the issue and prepare the guidance document.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Need clarity on disposal and return process for cut medicine strips and surgical products: Bangalore Chemists' Association
Welcoming the guidance document on safe disposal of unused and expired drugs released by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) this week, the Bangalore District Chemists and Druggists' Association (BDCDA) has sought clarification on the disposal methods for expired cut strips of medicines and surgical products. Currently, there is no provision for the return and the disposal of these products. The CDSCO's guidance document is aimed at addressing issues emerging from the careless disposal of unused or expired medicines and the hazards it creates in the environment and public health. The document is expected to help various stakeholders, including the general public, to dispose of expired or unused medicine in a safe manner, and is also an important move towards curbing the growth of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General (India), in a communication dated May 25 to the Drugs Controllers of all States and Union Territories, called on them to encourage the stakeholders concerned in their respective States to adopt the guidelines for safe disposal of expired/unused drugs which will be an important step in combating AMR in the country. The guidance document analyses various methods, including landfill after encapsulation or inertisation of drugs, use of sewer, burning in open containers, medium temperature incineration, novel high temperature incineration, and chemical decomposition. Examining the existing rule position, it details the procedures to be followed by stakeholders for the disposal of such drugs at each level. Need clarity 'Upon reviewing the guidance document, we have identified several areas that require clarification and necessary ratification to ensure the successful and practical implementation of the disposal framework,' said BDCDA president B. Thirunavukkarasu. 'We need clarity on the disposal and return process for cut strips of medicines, for Propaganda-cum-Distribution (PCD) medicines, expired generics where high-trade margins are cited, and expired surgical products such as gloves and syringes. Currently, these are disposed of just like any other trash in the dustbin,' Mr. Thirunavukkarasu said. Elaborating on the operational challenges from a retailer's perspective, he said there is a need to align with the industry practice of 150 days for return of expired medicines presently followed owing to the MoU signed between National Trade body and the pharma companies or provide a flexible period of 60 to 90 days. 'Common batch number mismatches owing to fragmented supply chains must be resolved to avoid denial of returns,' he added.
Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Tribune
Experts Warn: Antibiotics May No Longer Save Lives
TDT | Manama Addressing a critical global health concern, Dr. Jameela Al Salman, Bahraini physician and infectious disease specialist, sounded the alarm on the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during her keynote speech at the Bahrain International Conference on Family Medicine and Primary Healthcare, held at the Gulf Hotel. Speaking about the escalating crisis, Dr. Al Salman warned that antimicrobial resistance could soon become one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide if urgent measures are not taken. "We are seeing patients every week who are at risk of dying due to infections that no longer respond to antibiotics," she said. "This isn't a distant threat — it's happening now, in our hospitals, in our communities." She highlighted alarming trends, including the fact that some bacteria are now resistant to all known antibiotics, making once-treatable infections potentially fatal. Dr. Al Salman emphasized that globalization, travel, and overuse of antibiotics in humans and animals have accelerated the spread of resistant microbes. 'Bacteria don't need passports,' she warned. 'An outbreak in one country can easily affect others.' Despite efforts made over the past decade, progress has been limited. In 2014, a global action plan was launched to combat AMR, and Bahrain became a regional leader by prioritizing national surveillance and reporting systems under the WHO's Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS). However, she admitted that 'the world didn't do enough,' and resistance levels continue to climb. Dr. Al Salman called for a coordinated international approach, involving primary care physicians, hospitals, policymakers, and pharmaceutical companies. She stressed the need for better infection control practices, responsible prescription of antibiotics, public education, and investment in new treatments. She also pointed out that pharmaceutical companies are often reluctant to invest in new antibiotics due to low commercial returns, choosing instead to focus on more profitable treatments like cancer therapies. One of her key messages was the importance of the role of family doctors and primary care physicians, saying, 'You are at the center of this cycle. You're the first line of defense.' Overprescribing antibiotics, she said, not only affects individual patients but contributes to a wider community risk. Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Al Salman noted that although it helped strengthen infection control measures, it also led to an increase in unnecessary antibiotic use, further exacerbating resistance. 'The clock is ticking. If we do not act now, we risk a future where simple infections could once again become deadly,' she concluded.
