In an effort to indicate its efforts to monitor the adverse drug reactions, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare created a Toll Free number facility under Pharmacovigilance Programme of India, to collect the adverse drug reactions with the use of medicines and to ensure patient safety.

Launching the toll free number 1800-180-3024, Sten Olsson, Chief WHO Programme Officer, WHO-Uppsala Monitoring Centre, Sweden, said we should not depend on the single activity, rather always innovate the different methods to create awareness and to reach every corner of the country for the Pharmacovigilance activity. It is a unique facility developed by IPC and it will help in a big way to report ADRs.

Further, Olsson also appreciated the work done by Dr V Kalaiselvan, senior scientific officer IPC, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and his team at the National Coordination Centre (NCC).

Commenting on development, Dr GN Singh, Drugs Control General of India (DCGI) said that this step by Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, would ensure well being of public. Moreover the toll free number would only provide the much-needed patient safety.

This facility will be easy for the health care professionals those who are working in tertiary health care system to report ADRs, added the DCGI.