Chandigarh College of Pharmacy, CGC Landran, organised a two-day national conference on Pharmacovigilance and Clinical Research in collaboration with APTI- Punjab.The event was inaugurated by Prof. Dulal Panda, Director, NIPER, Mohali Chief Guest, in the presence of Prof. Rajesh Kumar Goel, President APTI, Dr. Bikash Medhi, Department of Pharmacology, PGIMER and 700-plus delegates from across the country. The dignitaries also released a souvenir to commemorate the occasion. 200-plus papers were presented at the event. Keynote speakers at the national conference included experts from leading pharmaceutical companies including Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., AstraZeneca, among others. The conference highlighted the importance of Pharmacovigilance and clinical research in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, which is the third largest, globally, in terms of volume registering a robust growth of 103 per cent, from Rs 90,415 crore in 2013-2014 to Rs. 1,83,422 crore in 2021-22. It also shed a light on the challenges and the way forward in bettering the healthcare systems in the country.
Speakers at the event collectively emphasised that to reinforce India’s perception as the pharmacy of the word, focus on promoting and enhancing the quality as well as the safety of medicines through effective Pharmacovigilance, was imperative. The national conference served as a vital platform for participating students and industry leaders, alike, to understand the pivotal role played by Pharmacovigilance in creating awareness, reporting on and helping prevent adverse drug reactions arising from medicinal drug abuse or utilization of non-medical prescription drugs. As per the WHO, Pharmacovigilance is the science and activities relating to the detection, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any other medicine/vaccine related problem.Dr Vallabh Deshpande, Head of Global Pharmacovigilance operations, Glenmark Pharmaceutical Ltd., Mumbai, elaborated on the key role played by Pharmacovigilance in helping improve patient care, public health safety, assessment of the benefits, effectiveness and risks related to medicines while promoting safe, rational and effective use of medicines or medicinal drugs.
Addressing the audience, Dr. Sridhar Yeshamaina, Head-Global Pharmacovigilance Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, Hetero Healthcare Ltd., Hyderabad said that “More proactive reporting on adverse drug reactions by the patients, their families, and the healthcare community would play a huge role in strengthening the Pharmacovigilance process in India.” He appreciated the role played by Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), and Indian pharmaceutical companies in setting up mechanisms to expedite and simplify the process of reporting adverse drug reactions which he said “would go a long way in promoting safety and better health outcomes for patients.”The conference concluded with a cultural programme presented by students followed by the valedictory ceremony.