Dehradun:

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has a set of guidelines in place to deal with this problem under a scientific framework. These guidelines have been prepared on the basis of biomedical waste management rules of 2016 that were laid out by the World Health Organization (WHO). These guidelines aim to check the harmful impact of biomedical waste on human lives and the environment.

Such medicines are placed under the three categories of those spoilt in the cold chain, recalled and unused. Techniques like incineration and encapsulation have been suggested for their disposal. There is also emphasis laid on colour coding of biomedical waste bags along with tracking and logbook systems.

The Uttarakhand government has decided to implement the CDSCO guidelines in the state. The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has started working in this direction. The officials believe that while there is no proper system in place to destroy such biomedical waste at present, Uttarakhand can initiate a green model for the country to follow.

FDA roadmap calls for a third party monitoring system along with setting up of drug enforcement units. It also wants to fix accountability of pharmaceutical companies, medicine sellers, hospitals and consumers. There is a plan to launch a public awareness campaign.

Quite often people tend to consume medicines without bothering to look at their date of expiry. These medicines that are supposed to save lives can actually become life threatening. The maximum expiry limit of medicines can extend up to three years. If these medicines are not consumed within the expiry limit, they have to be destroyed.The expired medicines are not only a threat to mankind but also to the environment. Under these circumstances, the Uttarakhand government is working on a strategy for safe disposal of expired and unused medicines.

The state is home to a large number of pharmaceutical units and it is a well known fact that disposal of medical waste has always been a challenge for the states as well as the Centre. If this waste is not disposed properly it can play havoc with the environment and human lives.

The Uttarakhand Medicine Control Department is to be made the monitoring agency for the initiative and the Druggist and Chemist Association will be linked to the take back system. Task forces will be constituted at the district level. Data will be monitored and audit will be done through the e-drug log system.Sources said that improper disposal of expired and unused medicines can lead to pollution of water sources like the rivers, lakes and even underground water. Excessive use of medicines can lead to antimicrobial resistance in the body. It is because of these factors that the government is planning the take back system.

Environmental expert AK Biyani pointed out that throwing expired medicines and unused at random places is a condemnable act as they harm the environment. "These medicines pollute the soil and water. Improper disposal by the pharmaceutical companies is highly damaging to the environment," he said."The medical waste coming from the hospitals is also very dangerous. If the government initiates steps for proper disposal of biomedical waste it will be beneficial in the long run besides making people aware," he added.

At the same time, the Additional Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) Tajbar Singh stated that the people tend to throw unused and expired medicines from their home that harms the animals and humans.Pointing towards the vanishing of vultures he said, "These birds have problems on consuming such medicines. The Centre has guidelines on this which the Uttarakhand government is going to implement. There is a provision for banking unused and expired medicines."

There is a procedure laid out for collecting these medicines under which drug take back sites are to be set up in the urban, semi urban and hilly regions. The people will be asked to deposit the unused and expired medicines at these sites that will be collected scientifically at centres and disposed off in approved units.The FSDA has constituted a committee for the purpose that has representatives from pharmaceutical companies and medicine distributors. It will ensure collection of unused and expired medicines and ensure their scientific disposal.

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