Srinagar: Amid growing global concern over antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has reiterated that medicines bearing a Red Line mark on their packaging must never be consumed without a valid doctor’s prescription.
The advisory comes as part of the Ministry’s nationwide Red Line Campaign, aimed at curbing the rampant misuse of antibiotics and promoting responsible drug use.
The Red Line Campaign urges citizens to identify medicines marked with a red vertical line—typically antibiotics and certain scheduled drugs—and to strictly avoid self-medication. These medicines fall under Schedule H and H1 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, which legally mandate their sale only against a prescription issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner.
“Medicines with a red line should never be taken without medical advice. Misuse of antibiotics directly fuels antibiotic resistance, making infections harder and sometimes impossible to treat,” the Ministry stated in an official communication.
Health experts in Kashmir have echoed the Ministry’s concerns, warning that AMR has emerged as one of the most serious public health threats of the 21st century.
Dr Irfan Gul, Associate Professor at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, said antibiotic resistance is no longer a distant threat but a harsh reality being faced daily in hospitals.
“We are increasingly encountering infections that do not respond to commonly used antibiotics. Drugs that once worked as first-line treatment are now failing, forcing doctors to use stronger and more expensive medicines. This is a dangerous trend,” Dr Gul said.
He explained that antimicrobial resistance develops when bacteria and other microbes adapt and survive despite exposure to medicines meant to kill them.
“When antibiotics are taken unnecessarily—especially for viral infections—or when patients stop treatment midway, microbes learn to resist. This not only prolongs illness but also increases the risk of severe complications and spread of resistant infections in the community,” he added.(KNO)
