INDIA TAKES PART IN GLOBAL CAMPAIGN FOR SAFER USE OF MEDICINES

Medicines are used by millions of people to treat their illness. However, sometimes medicines can cause side effects. By using medicines correctly, we can drastically reduce the risk of side effects and severe harm. And by reporting side effects when they occur, we can help make medicines safer for everyone. Today marks the launch of the ninth global #MedSafetyWeek campaign, an international campaign led by Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC), the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring. The campaign is supported by WHO and by members of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA), where National Coordination Centre-Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (NCC-PvPI), Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) is one of 107 partner organisations.

“Research shows that about half of all side effects are preventable. Patient safety is our top priority and during the #MedSafetyWeek campaign, we want to remind patients to take their medicines as instructed and healthcare professionals to review therapies before prescribing them,” says Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, IPC.

#MedSafetyWeek is a global campaign running from 4 to 10 November involving 107 organisations across 94 countries. This year’s theme centres on the importance of using medicines in the right way to prevent side effects, and to report side effects when they do occur.

“It is easy to think only scientists or healthcare professionals can make medicines safer. As a medicine user, you – the patient – play a crucial part. Every time you report a suspected side effect to NCC-PvPI, IPC, you help make medicines safer for patients all around the world,” says Dr. Jai Prakash, Officer-in-Charge,PvPI.

During #MedSafetyWeek 2024, everyone can help promote the campaign’s message by using the hashtag and sharing social media posts from NCC-PvPI and other participating organisations.

Medicines regulators worldwide have reporting systems to monitor the safety of medicines. The purpose is to gain more knowledge about known side effects and to discover new ones. This can result in warnings and changes to how a medicine is used. In India, side effects can be reported by consumers and healthcare professionals through ADR Reporting forms. All reports are assessed and examined by NCC-PvPI to determine the correct steps to protect medicine users in India from harm.

Note:

If there is any suspicion that an adverse event or adverse reaction has occurred, the health care professionals attending to the patient, can fill up the “Suspected Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Form” (ADR_Reporting_Form_1.4_Version.pdf (ipc.gov.in)) and similarly consumers/patients may also make use of Medicines Side-effect Reporting Form for reporting any suspected AE/ADR to PvPI. This form is available in 10 Indian languages: Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Assamese, Oriya, Tamil and Telugu (ADR Reporting Form for Consumers in Hindi & other Vernacular Languages - Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (ipc.gov.in)) and send it to the nearest Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Centre (AMC) or directly to the NCC-PvPI. Consumers/patients can also report to the nearest ADRs Monitoring Centres (AMCs) under the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI).  The details of AMCs are given on the website of IPC i.e., Home - Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (ipc.gov.in).

Hospitals/ Medical Colleges and other Healthcare Institutions which are not enrolled as AMCs under PvPI, may report adverse events by using email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Similarly, consumers/ patients also have the option of reporting adverse events through a dedicated email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Toll-free helpline number (1800-180-3024) can also be used to directly report an ADR from Monday-Friday (09:00 AM-05.30 PM)

Useful references on the prevalence of preventable side effects:

• Hakkarainen KM, Hedna K, Petzold M, Hägg S (2012) Percentage of Patients with Preventable Adverse Drug Reactions and Preventability of Adverse Drug Reactions – A Meta-Analysis. PLOS ONE 7(3): e33236. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033236

• Global burden of preventable medication-related harm in health care: a systematic review. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088887