India lauded for Medicines with the Red Line campaign on antibiotics

Medicines with the Red Line: A public awareness campaign launched by the Union Government to curb irrational use of antibiotics.

The term Medicines with the Red Line was in news on 19 May 2016 as the campaign was appreciated by the Global Review on Antimicrobial Resistance.

The review was commissioned by the UK Prime Minister David Cameron in 2014 and chaired by economist Jim O’Neil.

As per the review, India led the way so far with its idea of a ‘Red Line Campaign’ for antibiotics packaging.

What is Medicines with the Red Line campaign?

• It has several key messages - learn how to identify prescription drugs; curb self medication; and become more aware of the dangers of misusing antibiotics.

• The campaign was named so as it was mandated that all prescription only drugs should be marked with a vertical red line on the pack.

• The packs with red lines should be consumed only on doctor’s advice and the patients need to full course as prescribed by the doctor.

• The campaign was launched by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in February 2016.

• The launch of the campaign became inevitable due to growing misuse of antibiotics across the country.

• As per a report published in the Lancet journal in August 2014, India consumed 13 billion units of antibiotics in 2010, the highest in the world. Between 2005 and 2009, consumption shot up by 40 per cent.

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