CMC Pharmacovigilance centre advises to report ADRs of all drugs

Ludhiana: Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Centre (AMC), Christian Medical College Ludhiana, India is conducting series of Pharmacovigilance training workshops Under aegis of Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. The first workshop was inaugurated today by Dr. William Bhatti, Director, CMC and Dr. Jeyaraj D Pandian, Principal, CMC. Dr. William in his address emphasized to improve patient safety by reporting adverse drug reactions (ADR) to all medicines and that the training will empower the doctors to report the ADR using a simple ADR form of the national program. Dr. Jeyaraj D. Pandian, Principal, CMC welcome all the doctors and highlighted the fact that data generation of ADR of medicines in Indian population is the important objective of this national program and all doctors must report ADRs. All ADRs should be reported including ADRs to existing medicines and new medicines.  Dr. Dinesh Badyal, Coordinator of AMC informed that CMC centre has been reporting ADRs from CMC and nearby institutes for 10 years as it is a centre for reporting ADR by doctors, nurses, pharmacists and even patients. These health care workers can report ADRs to AMC, CMC. Patients can also report ADR to medicines on consumers forms which are available in 10 vernacular languages from the website  ipc.gov.in/mandates/pvpi/pvpi-updates.html or on helpline number 1800 180 3024 or by using adr app from play store. There is also a special form for ADRs to medicines related to COVID-19. Dr. Badyal added that in India we need to make ADR reporting a culture and that can happen when we all start reporting. He informed that the centre is conducting series workshops and in each day 40 doctors are being trained. Dr Badyal introduced the concept of ADR reporting, the need for reporting ADRs and how ADR can be reported. Dr. Prabhjot Kaur, Patient Safety Pharmacovigilance Associate in the centre imparted hands-on training on filling ADR form using simulated patients reporting with various ADRs. The participants worked in groups with the simulated patients and went through all steps to fill ADR forms. The ADRs forms collected are contributed to national centre in Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ghaziabad and ultimately all reports contribute to World Health Organisation (WHO  data in Uppsala monitoring centre (UMC) in Sweden. Doctors can also access detailed information on ADR of drugs on vigiaccess.org/. All COVOD-19 appropriate behavior were followed in the programs.