Vide a notification F. No. X. 11014/8/2019-DR issued on the 19th July, 2019, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has prohibit the manufacture, sale and distribution of the drug Colistin and its formulations for food producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements.

The notification reads as follows:

“And whereas, the Central Government is satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest to prohibit the manufacture, sale and distribution of the drug Colistin and its formulations for food producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements;

Now, therefore, in exercise of powers conferred by section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940), the Central Government hereby―

1. a) prohibits the manufacture, sale and distribution of the following drug with immediate effect, namely:― “Colistin and its formulations for food producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements”; and

(b) directs that the manufacturer of Colistin and its formulations shall label the container of the drug and mention the words “NOT TO BE USED IN FOOD PRODUCING ANIMALS, POULTRY, AQUA FARMING AND ANIMAL FEED SUPPLEMENTS” in conspicuous manner on the package insert and promotional literature of the said drug and its formulations.”

An update on colistin published in the journal Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy in 2012 stated that “colistin probably will be the last-line therapeutic drug against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens in the 21st century” (Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2012;10(8):917-934). However, emergence of resistance to this “last resort” drug in Enterobacteriaceae is a cause of concern.

Track our earlier published story on this issue:

http://blogs.kkaggarwal.com/tag/padmashri/

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania   (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Past National President IMA