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Call to stop usage of hazardous drugs

Staff Reporter

`India has become a dumping ground for banned drugs'

BERHAMPUR: It is high time for the people themselves to stop using medicines that are hazardous and banned in developed countries but are sold freely in India opined experts at a seminar on `rational use of medicines' organised in the city on Tuesday.

Speaking at this seminar organised by `Lipica' and Community Development Medicinal Unit (CDMU) senior pediatrician, P.Suvarna Devi said India has become a dumping ground for banned drugs. Trading and production of banned drugs is booming due to ignorance of people.

She cited examples of medicines like Analgin, Cisapride, Droperidol, Nimesulide etc, which are being prescribed in India even for small children although they have been banned in other countries due to their serious side effects. Nimesulide causes serious liver problem but it continues to be the most popular painkiller for us. Piperazine used in India as an anti-worms drug is banned in many countries as it causes nerve damage.

Blame game

There was common opinion that drug-approval authorities of the government, medicine manufacturers, physicians, and pharmacists as well as gullibility of general public are to be blamed for the abundance of banned drugs in the market. People were advised to avoid combination drugs and opt for single ingredient drugs as far as possible. M.K.Nanda said 80 per cent of the patients can be cured by medicines only but it has become a common practice to administer injections by the physicians.

Even administration of injections to small children is wrong as they are injected at their hips while throughout world experts say children should be given injections on their thighs.

Experts attacked the practice by a large number of doctors opting for poly-therapy or use of several medicines at the cost of patients' health to help out the medicine manufacturers.

"Antibiotics are being prescribed and taken without prescriptions even for viral fevers and viral diarrhoea although they have little effect on viral infections," experts said.

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