IPC inks MoUs with 3 states to boost medicine safety, rational use

The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) signed MoUs with the pharmacy councils of Bihar, Maharashtra, and Mizoram. The partnership aims to strengthen medicine safety, promote rational use of drugs, and enhance pharmacovigilance across the states.

In a significant step towards strengthening medicine safety and promoting rational use of medicines across the country, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), Ghaziabad, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with the Bihar State Pharmacy Council, Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council, and Mizoram State Pharmacy Council today at IPC, Ghaziabad.

The MoUs were signed by Dr V Kalaiselvan, Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, IPC, with Dr. Prakash Sinha, President, Bihar State Pharmacy Council; Dr H Lalhlenmawia, Vice-President, Mizoram State Pharmacy Council; and Atul Ahire, President, Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council, in the presence of senior officials and representatives from participating organisations.

Key Objectives of the Collaboration

The MoUs aim to strengthen collaborative efforts between IPC and the State Pharmacy Councils for promoting the rational use of medicines, enhancing pharmacovigilance activities, and advancing patient safety initiatives across the respective states.

As part of the collaboration, the partners will work towards wider dissemination and adoption of the National Formulary of India (NFI) among registered pharmacists to ensure safe, effective, and evidence-based use of medicines. Efforts will also be made to establish NFI as a mandatory reference document in hospital pharmacies across state healthcare facilities.

The collaboration will further strengthen the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) by promoting adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting mechanisms and facilitating the establishment of ADR Monitoring Centres (AMCs) in coordination with PvPI. This is expected to reinforce medicine safety surveillance systems and encourage active participation of pharmacists and healthcare professionals in pharmacovigilance activities.

Enhancing Professional Competencies and Awareness

In addition, IPC and the State Pharmacy Councils will jointly organise training programmes, workshops, and continuing education initiatives for pharmacists to enhance professional competencies in rational use of medicines, pharmacovigilance, and pharmacopoeial standards. The partnership will also promote research and professional cooperation in the areas of drug safety, regulatory standards, and rational pharmacotherapy.

The MoUs also envisage strengthening public and professional awareness on medicine safety, pharmacopoeial standards, and patient safety through targeted outreach and awareness programmes. IPC will provide technical guidance, scientific support, and domain expertise, while the State Pharmacy Councils will facilitate coordination with pharmacists, hospitals, and healthcare institutions for effective implementation of the initiatives.

This collaboration reflects a shared commitment towards strengthening healthcare systems and ensuring safer, more effective use of medicines through robust pharmacovigilance practices and enhanced professional capacity across the country.

Dr. V. K. Paul, Former Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India, Dr G N Singh, Advisor to the Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, and Prof. Y. K. Gupta, President, AIIMS Kalyani, were also present on the occasion. (ANI)

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