Contributed by Akilesh. R and Ashok J. Tamhankar
Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Government of India, issues a notice on Irrational use of antibiotics in animal/livestock – A source of spread of antibiotic resistance in humans!
While antibiotic use and abuse in humans has been given due
notice in recent times, the other potential source of spread of antibiotic
resistance to humans is through animal products which has not been given due
regard. Besides therapy antibiotics are used in animals particularly in poultry
farming as growth promoters. The use in animals is also a precursor of
antibiotic resistance; both through the animal food products as well as the faeces
that go into the environment, as nearly 50 % of antibiotics given to animals
are excreted within 24 hours. While in
many countries use of antibiotics is banned as growth promoters, it is not so
in India. Government of India has now started to take action on this issue. Central
Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO),
Government of India has issued notice in this regard to Drug controllers
of all states and union territories in June 2014. The circular in this context
generally says the following.
