The Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre (South) has reported 4629 adverse drug reaction (ADR) cases from July 2005 to March 2007, with more number of cases reported on antimicrobials, central nervous system (CNS) drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

The centre, based at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, has reported 1843 cases from July to December 2005, the year in which the centre commenced operation. The number of ADRs reported has increased in the consecutive year, with 2246 fresh cases reported in 2006 whereas 540 cases reported within three months of the current year.

The information compiled from the centre and its eight peripheral units, covering the four southern states of the country, shows that 33.8 per cent reactions were from anti-microbials, 16.1 per cent from CNS drugs and 8.3 per cent caused by NSAIDs. Among these cases, anti-tubercular drugs rank the first place with 209 cases reported with hepatotoxicity or elevation of liver enzymes as common ADR.

Ciprofloxacin ranks the second place with 168 cases with skin rash as common ADR, even as 160 cases were reported on diclofenac resulting in epigastric pain on patients as adverse reaction. Almost 133 ADRs were reported on Phenytoin with ataxia and nystagmus as commonly reported reactions while Ceftriaxone has 101 ADRs reported with major adverse reaction resulting in diarrhoea.

"Every year the number of ADRs reported is steadily increasing as more and more health care professionals are made aware of the need to report the adverse reactions caused by drugs," says an official from JIPMER. The official added that the centre is planning to conduct more awareness camps on reporting ADRs among the hospital employees and healthcare professionals through the regional centre and the peripheral centres in Annamalai Nagar, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Kochi, Kolar, Manipal, Mysore and Ooty.

Out of 4629 ADRs reported by the regional Pharmacovigilance centre, the peripheral centre at Mysore has recorded , the largest number of cases. It has reported 1239 cases up to March 2007. The vigilant service of health workers and active participation of medical professionals has enhanced the ADR reporting procedure, said the official.

The centre has also prepared causality assessment of the ADR reports as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards. The centre is the first to set up an online ADR reporting facility through the website of the institution, claimed the officials from Department of Pharmacology, JIPMER