Use auto-disable syringes to prevent infection: Medical devices industry official

The official said Punjab has the highest incidence of hepatitis B and C spreading from drug addicts to other patients in the already-challenged healthcare infrastructure.

Rather than banning the sale of syringes without a doctor’s prescription to prevent drug abuse, it will be better if the government hastens the switch over to auto-disable syringes, said a senior medical devices industry official.

Representative image

He was referring to the recent ban on sale of syringes without doctor’s prescription in some districts in Punjab as a measure to fight drugs.

“While the law exists in the US of syringe sale limited to prescription, this is not the case in India, and the intent of solving a problem may be noble but the management tool being used is questionable,” Rajiv Nath, forum coordinator at Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED) said. He is also the joint managing director of Hindustan Syringe and Medical Devices Limited.

He said Punjab has the highest incidence of hepatitis B and C spreading from drug addicts to other patients in the already-challenged healthcare infrastructure.

According to Nath, the ban on sale of syringes without prescription will amplify the problem of reuse by drug addicts and accelerate the spread of hepatitis C in Punjab. “It would be more prudent to accelerate a switch to auto-disable syringes in private sector in Punjab and have a state policy as was done by government of Andhra Pradesh to prevent reuse with the help of state drug controller to address this magnifying problem in Punjab,” Nath said.