I was interested to read the informative communication by Bavdekar and Karande in the Viewpoint section of the Journal(1). The National Pharmacovigilance Program has been launched under the aegis of Directorate General of Health Services, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Surprisingly, most physicians seem to be unaware of this activity. This articles clearly mentions the definitions of adverse event and adverse reaction that may follow administration of a drug or a vaccine, or any other therapeutic agent, and the purposes of the National Program. Very ambitious plans have been made both at central as well as peripheral levels. The immediate objectives is "to foster a culture of notification not only among doctors but also amongst other health-care providers, viz., pharmacists and nurses".

Whereas it would be useful to create awareness among non-medical health personnel about adverse drug reactions, it is extremely important that reports of such instances be accurate, reliable and subject to scrutiny. Anecdotal and ill-documented accounts need to be treated with caution. Since nurses and pharmacists do not prescribe medications, any side effects that they observe should be brought to the notice of the treating physician. The agency that receives the reports must ensure that various details are provided, including identity of the notifier. The IAP Clinical Pharmacology Cell has informed the IAP members that they could report adverse reactions to medications and vaccines etc on a proper form. Such information is to be examined and stored for rapid retrieval. The IAP cell could communicate with the National Committee.

The authors go on to make several "considerations for the future". They inform that the National Pharmacovigilence Committee does not have a pediatrician as its member. No wonder pediatricians have no knowledge of such a committee. It would be useful to know who are the members and from which source more information about this committee can be obtained.

R.N. Srivastava,
IAP President 1996
E-mail: [email protected]

1. Bavdekar SB, Karande S. National pharmacovigilence program. Indian Pediatr 2006; 43: 27-32.