Govt warns against overuse, misuse of Covid medicines

“The use of steroids can increase the chances of mucormycosis,” said, NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr V K Paul.

Warning against overuse and misuse of Covid-19 medicines, the government on Wednesday asked people to adopt a rational approach to the drugs used for treatment of coronavirus.

Paul said these protocols have been developed by best experts and we have a true concern of overuse misuse of medicines in Covid treatment.

Addressing a press conference, NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr V K Paul expressed concern over the "overuse and misuse" of drugs.

"There is a concern that whichever medicines we give it should be rationally used, there should not be any overuse. Last time, we saw a very scary situation when the contribution of medicine was to a very large extent responsible for mucormycosis," he said.

"The use of steroids can increase the chances of mucormycosis. Steroids are very potent life saving drugs but they are also have side effects and they disturb the immunological protection, they disturb many biochemical pathways so it was a very big lesson...we were learning at that time but now we know it so this is an appeal that general public should be aware that there is a set of rational treatments that are listed under the national protocols -ayush and mainstream protocol and we must be confined to that," he added.

Paul said these protocols have been developed by best experts and we have a true concern of overuse misuse of medicines in Covid treatment.

"For fever, paracetamol is given, and for cough, Ayush syrup can be used. This is what we have prescribed in the home care module too. If cough continues for more than three days, there is an inhaler called Budesonide these are the only three things that need to be done," he said.

Other than that do gargle, take rest not overdo it has a cost, he added.

"When we go to the hospital too and there is a need for oxygen then based on clinical judgment there is medicine - methylprednisolone or dexamethasone. Heparin is also given by the doctors inside hospitals...there are clear cut guidelines for remdesivir too there is no point of giving it at home - it led to overuse, panic and misuse," he said.