Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy’s Pharmacovigilance & Drug Information Centre views that practice of adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting among the Indian healthcare professionals is still nascent.
The college set up the Pharmacovigilance facility at MVJ Medical College and Research Hospital (MVJ MC & RH), Hoskote in Bengaluru at an investment of Rs. 5 lakh in 2014. It handles the drug information queries of healthcare professionals, conducts prescription audit and ADR monitoring.
“Sensitizing clinicians on practice of monitoring the effects of prescribed medicines and its outcomes on safe and rational drug use is a big challenge. However there is still room for improving the ADR monitoring programme with the support of clinicians, Dr Rajeswari Ramasamy, Associate Professor, Clinical Pharmacy, Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy, Bengaluru and in-charge, Pharmacovigilance & Drug Information Center, MVJ Medical College and Research Hospital, told Pharmabiz in an email.
The Centre is manned by Pharm D interns under the mentorship of 6 faculties on rotation basis. The facility which is functional six days a week between 9 am to 3 pm on average responds to 10 queries a day. “Pharm D is the most suited qualification as its curriculum is focused towards pharmaceutical care and will help inculcate safe medication practice amongst various healthcare professionals and general public, she added.
Presently there are 202 ADR reporting centers pan-India established by the initiative of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission's Pharmacovigilance Programme in India (PvPI), in collaboration with Global ADR monitoring center (WHO-UMC). There is no shortfall of ADR centres in the country. However, the practice of ADR reporting among the Indian healthcare professionals is still nascent and has to improve, Dr Ramasamy stated.
Pharmacy colleges have the provision of setting up the ADR monitoring centre under PvPI. “We have been able to respond to the drug information queries and resolve drug related problems whenever needed. Awareness and knowledge has also been strengthened among general public with help of these professionals on the safe use of OTC products and prescription drugs,” said Dr Ramasamy.
While India made a good start, but lots of ground needs to be covered. PvPI is in the process of setting up a world class infrastructure for this. However the awareness and attitude among the clinicians matters the most. As per the national trends, ADRs associated with anticancer drugs are most commonly reported (Alopecia, Pancytopenia). The reported ADRs help to get crucial insights into rational drug use. There have been some tangible and quantifiable changes that have taken place post this development. The recent banning of 344 fixed dose combination products by the MoHFW which lacked therapeutic justification is one such incident, she pointed out.