India Boosts Patient Safety with First PvPI-MvPI Meeting

Dr. V. Kalaiselvan, Secretary-cum-Scientific Director of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), on Friday called for a paradigm shift in drug safety monitoring, urging stakeholders to move from mere “awareness-based reporting” to a “performance-driven framework” for pharmacovigilance.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the first Annual Meeting of Regional Centres under the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) and the Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI), Dr. Kalaiselvan underscored the critical role of regional hubs in safeguarding public health.

The two-day conclave, organised by the IPC in collaboration with the Kalam Institute of Health Technology (KIHT) and the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), brought together regulators and healthcare experts to streamline the monitoring of adverse drug reactions (ADR) and medical device safety.

“The strength of PvPI and MvPI lies in the dedication of our Regional Centres. Their vigilant reporting and scientific assessment form the backbone of India’s safety surveillance framework,” Dr. Kalaiselvan said.

Echoing this sentiment, senior experts, including Prof. Ashok Puranik and Prof. Y. K. Gupta from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), joined Dr. Jitendra Sharma, CEO of AMTZ, and Dr. Kavita Kachroo, COO of KIHT, in emphasizing that institutional collaboration is the only way to build a robust, world-class monitoring system.

A key highlight was the launch of the ADR PvPI 2.0 Mobile Application, designed to simplify reporting, improve real-time data capture, and enhance stakeholder engagement nationwide. Officials from the WHO Country Office for India also participated, sharing insights into global best practices and strategies to ensure the safety of medicines and medical devices.