Govt prohibits 34 drugs for animal use citing risk to humans after commerce ministry request

The step was taken on a request from the commerce ministry, according to the minutes of a recent health ministry meeting. 

Since the ban is only meant for animal use, the government has asked states and Union Territories to ensure that these drugs are not sold for animal consumption.

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Antibiotic resistance (AMR) in humans can be transferred by consuming milk, meat, eggs and other dairy products from animals treated with these drugs. It occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites develop resistance due to the overuse or wrong use of drugs–a common problem in India.

Mint first reported on this matter on 20 May.

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Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a serious and growing threat to public health across the world, with around 600,000 lives being lost in India each year due to AMR, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO says the burden of AMR in animals globally remains unknown, but that some studies suggest that resistant bacteria from animals can be transmitted to humans through the food chain, direct contact with animals and the environment.

According to WHO, around 1.27 million deaths occurred from drug-resistant infections in 2019.

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A health ministry draft notification issued on 22 May said the use of drugs formulations containing any antimicrobials or group of antimicrobials and their formulations, in animals, are likely to involve risks to humans. It said that safer alternatives for animal use are available.

The drugs that have been banned were being used for veterinary purpose without the permission of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). 

“Though these 37 antimicrobials have not been approved by CDSCO for veterinary use in treatment of various diseases, however these may be notified for prohibition in light of the request received from the ministry of commerce. The representative from the Department of Animal Husbandry also explained the background on the issue," stated Drugs Technical Advisory Board, a top drug panel of the health ministry, minutes of a meeting held in April.

During the meeting, three drugs were exempted from the ban.

It is not known when the commerce ministry made the request. A commerce ministry spokesperson said the ministry “will not comment on the issues of line ministries".

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According to Crisil market intelligence and analytics, the market size of the anti-infective segment in India stood at about ₹25,000 crore for FY2024. These include antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals.

The government has sought comments from stakeholders within 30 days from the date issuance of the notification for final go-ahead of the ban. 

A department of animal husbandry spokesperson said the ban will promote responsible and judicious use of antimicrobials across human and animal health sectors in alignment with the global standards and One Health approach.

“The industry does not indulge in the overuse of antibiotics; they are used strictly for therapeutic purposes. If the government proposes to ban vaccines that are genuinely harmful, we have no objection. But if safe and essential vaccines are restricted, it will gravely harm the livestock sector," said Suresh Deora, former chairman of the Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association.

R.S, Sodhi, President of the Indian Dairy Association, said India largely complies with global standards regarding the use of antibiotics in animals. 

“Indian exporters ensure that all shipments meet antibiotic-free limits by having the finished products tested in laboratories to comply with the export requirements of other countries. The ban on several antibiotics in animal agriculture is a positive development, and we need to analyze the extent to which these antibiotics are being used for milch cattle and dairy animals so that exporters can adhere to regulations," he said.

“Additionally, in India, we have begun using alternative methods such as ethnoveterinary practices, homeopathy, and other non-antibiotic treatments for diseases like mastitis, allowing us to treat animals without relying on antibiotics," he added.