With a view to expand its capacity and enhance the strength of the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is planning to rope in Pharm. D colleges, medical institutes, dental colleges from across India to register themselves with the PvPI.

Dr G N Singh head of the working group of PvPI informed that one of the main priorities of the pharmacovigilance programme is to try to rope in and collaborate with all the sources through which there are chances of getting any information on possible Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR's). “Our target is to attract as many colleges and institutes and make them a part of the pharmacovigilance programme,” he said.

Dr Singh who is also the secretary cum scientific director of IPC informed that as of now only 22 institutions have registered themselves as a part of the pharmacovigilance programme whereas, as potential for the same still remains to be explored at large. He added that special focus will also be put forth to attract more Pharm. D colleges to register for the PvPI since pharmacists play a very important role by acting as a vital link between the patients and the doctors.

Going ahead with its agenda to expand its reach so that India can have its own data on drug information and ADR's, CDSCO and IPC are organising a one day workshop on May 18. It is the first event organised since IPC's appointment as the National Co-ordinating Centre (NCC) for PvPI. The workshop which is organised at Ghaziabad is aimed at discussing new strategies and challenges of the PvPI. It is expected to be attended by experts from the industry, educational institutes and hospitals from across the country.