With a view to strengthen the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has demanded the Planning Commission (PC) to allot Rs.2 crore specifically for the programme in the 12th five year plan from 2012 to 2017.
According to sources, the Ministry has already sent a representation to the government demanding the same to the Commission and it is said to be under consideration. With this allotment the long standing demand for more financial back up for the PvPI programme will be finally met.
A senior government official informed, “The Ministry is keen to focus more on the pharmacovigilence programme. However, there always had been fund restraints acting as a roadblock for the development of the programme. The Ministry is hopeful that this time the government will enhance the budget allotment for the PvPI compared to the meagre amount given in the 11th year plan.”
The PvPI was initiated by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in collaboration with Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) acting as the National Coordinating Centre (NCC) for protecting the health of the patients by assuring drug safety.
With a view to monitor both the known and unknown side effects of medicines or Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs.over large population and to determine any new information available in relation to their safety profile, 20 ADR centres had been included across the country under the PvPI. Taking the number ahead, 20 more ADR centres where bought under the fold of PvPI in the month of July.
According to a source from IPC, the PvPI has got a very good response from the industry so far wherein lots of private hospitals have roped in to be a part of it. “It is essential that we have a proper system for monitoring the ADR’s across the country for which we need more and more participation from the private hospitals, institutes and medical colleges. We are hopeful that by March 2012 we will be able to add 100 more ADR centres all over the country under the PvPI programme,” he said.
The PvPI was initiated in July 2010 for detecting ADRs.as monitoring it ensures that patients obtain safe and efficacious products.