On May 12, 2026, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the State Pharmacy Councils of Bihar, Maharashtra, and Mizoram to strengthen medicine safety systems and improve pharmacovigilance practices.
Signed at IPC Ghaziabad, the agreements aim to integrate state-level pharmacy networks more closely with national drug safety frameworks. A key objective is the wider institutional adoption of the National Formulary of India (NFI) as a standard reference document in hospital and pharmacy settings to support evidence-based medicine dispensing and rational drug use.
The collaboration also seeks to expand the reach of the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) by improving the reporting and monitoring of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs). Through the participation of state pharmacy councils, the programme aims to establish additional ADR Monitoring Centres and strengthen local reporting mechanisms.
The initiative includes joint training workshops, continuing education programmes, and public-awareness activities to improve pharmacist competencies in drug safety, regulatory standards, and patient counselling. The broader objective is to position pharmacists as a more active component of India’s medicine safety and public-health monitoring systems.
Key Objectives of the Collaboration
Rational Use of Medicines: Disseminating the NFI to all registered pharmacists to promote safe and effective prescribing.
Strengthening PvPI: Increasing the volume and quality of ADR reporting through local pharmacy networks.
Capacity Building: Organizing specialized training and workshops for pharmacists on pharmacopoeial standards and drug safety.
Institutional Integration: Establishing NFI as a mandatory reference in state-run healthcare facility pharmacies.
Public Awareness: Launching targeted outreach programmes to educate the public on medicine safety and standards.
What is "Pharmacovigilance"?
Pharmacovigilance is the science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects or any other medicine-related problems. In India, this is managed through the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI). It involves monitoring the safety of drugs throughout their lifecycle, from clinical trials to everyday use in the community. When a patient experiences an unexpected side effect, it is reported as an Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR); pharmacovigilance systems analyse this data to issue safety alerts or withdraw dangerous medicines from the market.
Policy Relevance
Reduces Medication Errors: Standardizing the use of the National Formulary of India (NFI) ensures that pharmacists follow uniform, evidence-based guidelines, minimizing the risk of incorrect dosages or harmful drug interactions.
Decentralizes Safety Surveillance: By involving State Pharmacy Councils, the IPC moves drug safety monitoring from a central laboratory focus to the "ground level" in states like Bihar and Mizoram.
Enhances "Pharmacy of the World" Credibility: Strengthening domestic medicine safety standards bolsters India's global reputation as a reliable and high-quality pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Promotes Rational Pharmacotherapy: Training pharmacists in pharmacopoeial standards helps curb the irrational use of medicines and the over-prescription of antibiotics, a key factor in fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Enables Data-Driven Regulatory Action: Increased ADR reporting from diverse states provides a richer dataset for the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to make informed decisions on drug bans or label changes.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: As the IPC establishes ADR Monitoring Centres in coordination with State Councils, what digital infrastructure is being provided to retail pharmacists to ensure that reporting a 'side effect' is as seamless and instantaneous as a digital payment?
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