The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), an autonomous institution under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the State Pharmacy Councils of Bihar, Maharashtra and Mizoram to strengthen medicine safety, promote rational use of medicines and enhance pharmacovigilance activities across the country.
The agreements were signed at IPC headquarters in Ghaziabad by Dr. V. Kalaiselvan, Secretary-cum-Scientific Director of IPC, along with representatives of the three State Pharmacy Councils in the presence of senior officials and healthcare experts.
Under 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. The initiative also aims to establish the NFI as a standard reference document in hospital pharmacies and healthcare institutions across the participating states.
The MoUs are expected to strengthen the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) by encouraging adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting and facilitating the establishment of ADR Monitoring Centres in coordination with IPC. The move is aimed at improving medicine safety surveillance systems and increasing participation of pharmacists and healthcare professionals in pharmacovigilance activities.