Medicines are an integral part of healthcare. The Govt of India had banned the manufacture, sale and distribution of 328 Fixed-Dose Combination drugs (FDCs) to prioritise public health and patient safety. Irrational use of FDCs of antibiotics is among the major causes of antibiotic resistance in India. A study published in 'The Lancet' revealed that over 47% of the antibiotic drugs sold in private sector pharmacies in 2019 were not approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. But these are widely used in our country. The high level of use of unapproved drugs has serious implications on public health. Many people do not go to a doctor but buy medicines over the counter without prescription. The study has noted that wrong and inappropriate use of antibiotics is a significant driver of antibiotic resistance in India. Such resistance will create a situation where antibiotics will no longer be useful in the treatment of diseases. The supervisory mechanism for monitoring and checking the production and distribution of fake and unapproved drugs should be strengthened. There should be awareness campaigns on the need to avoid the use of unapproved medicines.
