Important Facts For Prelims
Colistin Antibiotic
- 22 Jul 2019
- 2 min read
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an order prohibiting the manufacture, sale and distribution of Colistin and its formulations for food-producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements.
- The ban has been imposed under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
- The Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), the government’s top advisory body on technical matters related to drugs in the country recommended prohibiting it.
- Colistin is an antibiotic for therapeutic purpose in veterinary. But the drug is highly misused in poultry industry as a growth promoter for prophylactic purpose.
- Also, colistin is a valuable, last-resort antibiotic that saves lives in critical care units but in recent years, there have been patients who have exhibited resistance to the drug.
- This move is likely to reduce the antimicrobial resistance within the country.
- Awareness programmes need to be conducted for farmers telling them about the dangers of using colistin in feed.
- Since the bulk of Colistin (nearly 95%) is imported from China, it would be easy to stop importing it within a short time.
- China, one of the largest manufacturers of colistin, has banned the use of the same within its boundaries for any producing animals or fish reared for consumption.
