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All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has raised serious concerns over the growing misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create fake medical prescriptions, enabling the illegal online sale of antibiotics, psychotropic drugs, opioids, and Schedule H and X medicines.
AIOCD President J S Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal informed that in a recent media investigation, including reports in a renowned newspaper, which have revealed that AI-generated prescriptions with fabricated hospital details are being accepted by certain online platforms. AIOCD states that illegal e-pharmacies are misusing Government Notifications GSR 817(E) and GSR 220(E) to bypass safeguards under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,1940. Unlike offline chemists, online platforms lack effective human verification, making it nearly impossible to detect AI-generated fake prescriptions. AIOCD has urged the Government to immediately withdraw GSR 817(E) and GSR 220(E), shut down illegal e-pharmacies, and declare AI-generated prescriptions invalid nationwide in order to safeguard public health. Earlier last month, the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take immediate action against illegally operating e-pharmacies. The organisation raised concerns over the unchecked sale of antibiotics without valid prescriptions, adding that they accelerate Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), posing a grave threat to public health. Referring to the Prime Minister's recent 'Mann Ki Baat' address, in which he emphasised the need to check upon the unchecked sale of antibiotics, AIOCD said that ICMR findings underline a national health emergency where commonly used antibiotics for pneumonia and urinary tract infections are becoming ineffective due to indiscriminate use and self-medication. (ANI)
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