THE Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation’s advisory to curb the indiscriminate and repeated use of painkillers and antibiotics signals the scale of the public health crisis. Curative medicines — to be used only when necessary and under medical supervision — are routinely taken either preventively or for the mildest of infections that the human body can naturally handle. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics place India at the centre of the global antimicrobial resistance crisis. There is an acute lack of awareness of how such practices can contribute to kidney-related complications and other adverse drug reactions. Easy over-the-counter access only partly explains the self-medication culture. Malpractices such as overprescribing and overcharging have fostered a general distrust in the medical system. Financial constraints, cultural beliefs and the unchecked role of chemists acting as informal medical practitioners further compound the problem.
