Title:Development of Pharmacovigilance System in India and Paradigm of
Pharmacovigilance Research: An Overview
Volume: 18
Issue: 4
Author(s): Preeti Singh*, Yogesh Vaishnav and Shekhar Verma
Affiliation:
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shri Shankaracharya Technical Campus, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, India
Keywords:
Pharmacovigilance, adverse drug reaction (ADR), pharmacovigilance programme of India (PvPI), history of pharmacovigilance, regulation of pharmacovigilance, drug safety, regulatory system in India.
Abstract: The drugs are projected to cure, prevent and treat diseases; however, there are also
chances of mild or severe adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the patients. Pharmacovigilance (PV)
enhances the approach to safe medicines and healthcare, but integration into public healthcare remains
a challenge in many countries. The Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) is a nationwide
programme launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government
of India, on 14 July 2010. It is currently run by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC).
Presently, 567 ADR Monitoring Centres (AMC) are functioning under PvPI across India. The Central
Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), under the Directorate General of Health Services
(DGHS), and the Ministry of Health, Family & Welfare (MoHFW) Government of India is
the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India. This review aims to trace the development of
PV in India and its status among the top ADR reporting countries, with a focus on the current status
of the studied ADR in different regions in India. Among the top 20 countries enthusiastic about
sending ICSR per million population between 2015 and 2020, India shares 2% of the total ICSRs
in VigiBase. India is now being recognized as a hub of global clinical trials and clinical research
studies. Hence, it is the need of the hour in India to have a dynamic PV network system with an efficient
and prudent operation method. Nevertheless, in India, PV programs are at an early stage on
par with other countries, and only because of underreporting of ADRs. However, in the future,
PvPI may appear as a big dashboard for ADR reporting culture in India as it continuously works
hard to improve patients and drug safety.