Is the irrational use of antibiotics leading to a public health emergency? Are Indians heading for a situation in which life-saving drugs won’t work on patients who desperately need them? A scientific study under the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has both good news and bad. The situation is not as bad as earlier (perhaps less rigorous) studies had made it out to be. But it is also true that antibiotics are being used too casually for the general good. Left unchecked, this trend could lead to a major problem. Better regulation and education of medical professionals is the answer together with a holistic approach involving humans, animals and agriculture.
The findings of the study, led by Dr Pallab Ray, professor of microbiology at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Research and Education (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, were made public in June. They made sensational headlines, but for the wrong reasons. The scientific nuances of the research had not been fully understood. Civil Society spoke to Dr Ray at length for better understanding.