- Urges NMRA to pay spl. attention when issuing regulations/guidelines/recommendations to pharmacies/hospitals
- focuses on diagnosis/prescriptions/patient discipline
The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) urged doctors, pharmacists and the public to adhere to the recommendations and guidelines provided by the health authorities when using antibiotics and painkillers since the misuse of those medicines could cause harmful consequences to life.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (30 November), the SLMA President Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne said that a huge responsibility is placed upon the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) in this regard as the principal regulatory body when issuing related recommendations and guidelines. He also said that the NMRA should pay special attention to the process of issuing antibiotics and painkillers during their inspection visits to pharmacies and hospitals.
Dr. Ariyaratne said that as the SLMA, it urged the doctors not to encourage patients to take antibiotics without any kind of proper prescription and diagnosis since such irregular intake of antibiotics will lead to some harmful conditions such as antibiotic resistance. Therefore, he said that people must also be very careful when taking antibiotics without a prescription from a doctor. “As the SLMA, we have a very narrow role in regulating the issues related to the misuse of antibiotics and painkillers. It is the NMRA which has the responsibility and the authority to do that. But, as a Medical Association, we always advise doctors to strictly follow the regulations, recommendations and guidelines in prescribing antibiotics or painkillers to patients. Patients also must be disciplined to have them under the supervision of a doctor,” he said.
Speaking further, the SLMA President also said that pharmacists have a vital role in this process, as they have the power to issue whatever the doctor prescribes. Hence, he said that the SLMA urges them to be responsible in issuing antibiotics and painkillers. He also said that all the other related stakeholders who have the power to make regulations and to influence people by making them aware of this matter must come together in this exercise.
According to the latest reports of the World Health Organisation, antimicrobial resistance resulting from the misuse of antibiotics, is one of the top global public health and development threats. It is further stated that the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals and plants are the main drivers in the development of drug resistant pathogens.