Experts discuss importance of pharmacovigilance, safe use of medicines, active role of healthcare professionals

National Pharmacovigilance Week is celebrated every year across India under the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), coordinated by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The objective of this week is to create awareness about the safe and rational use of medicines, the importance of reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and to strengthen patient safety culture among healthcare professionals and the community. The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Apeejay Stya University (ASU), Gurugram has been actively celebrating National Pharmacovigilance Week since 2021. The theme for this year was “Your Safety, Just a Click Away: Report to PvPI”, highlighting the importance of quick and easy reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to ensure patient safety. The week was marked with a series of activities planned to promote awareness regarding drug safety, adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting, and patient safety. The event was organised in collaboration with Indian Pharmacopeia Commission (IPC) & Walter Bushnell Pvt. Ltd.

Inaugural session

The celebration began with the faculty members and students attending the Inaugural Session of 5^th National Pharmacovigilance Week at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.  

The inaugural event highlighted the importance of pharmacovigilance, safe use of medicines, and encouraged the active role of healthcare professionals and students in ADR reporting. Representing Apeejay Stya University, Dr. Sumit Tewatia and Dr. Rani Mansuri, along with 40 enthusiastic students from School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, attended the technical session.

Interactive session from Industry 

The second day of National Pharmacovigilance Week was marked by an insightful session conducted by Dr. Vishal Wahane, Associate Director – Medical Affairs, Walter Bushnell Services Pvt. Limited. His session, titled “Busting Myths in Pharmacovigilance”, addressed common misconceptions related to ADR reporting, the role of healthcare professionals in pharmacovigilance, and the importance of timely and accurate reporting for patient safety. 

The session was attended by faculty members, students, and healthcare professionals from the university, providing an interactive platform for discussions and clarifications on pharmacovigilance practices. Participants appreciated the practical examples and real-world insights shared by Dr. Wahane, which helped demystify many aspects of PV and encouraged active participation in ADR reporting initiatives.

Community Awareness Programmes at Primary Health Centres (PHCs)/Central Health Centres (CHC) 

Apeejay’s School of Pharmaceutical Sciences organised a community awareness program on “Pharmacovigilance and ADR of Medicines” in collaboration with PvPI, IPC & Walter Bushnell Pvt. Ltd at PHCs/ CHCs. Of nearby villages.  

These included interactive sessions, awareness drives, and distribution of educational material about ADR reporting and safe medication. The community awareness sessions were also planned at two healthcare centres.  

Team 1 including students and faculties visited PHC at Village Kalyanka, District Gurugram.   

At healthcare centres, students of the university performed a Nukkad Natak (street play) to raise awareness among the local community about ADRs and patient safety. The performance highlighted the importance of reporting side effects and encouraged community members to actively participate in pharmacovigilance activities. Faculty members supervised the activity, and students were appreciated for their creativity and effective communication practices.  

The event successfully involved students, faculties, and PHCs and patients, fostering a culture of safety and vigilance in healthcare.

Community Outreach at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) at Village Dudhola 

On the next day an awareness session was conducted at Primary Health Centre (PHC), Village Dudhola.  The session began with Dr. Shreya Das, faculty SPS, who introduced the purpose and significance of the National Pharmacovigilance Week. 

Students of SPS then performed a Nukkad Natak (street play) to spread awareness among the community about Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) and the importance of reporting them. 

Reel Competition 

A Reel Competition was organized to engage students in creating short digital awareness videos on the theme “Your Safety, just a Click Away: Report to PvPI.” The competition encouraged students to creatively use social media to spread the message of patient safety and the importance of ADR reporting. 

The reels highlighted different aspects of pharmacovigilance in innovative and impactful ways. The entries were evaluated by an esteemed jury panel that assessed the reels on creativity, relevance to the theme, communication effectiveness, and technical quality. Winners were appreciated for their creativity, relevance to the theme, and ability to communicate effectively with the public.

Poster Competition 

As part of the activities, the university conducted a Poster Competition on the theme of “Pharmacovigilance” or “Think Health Think Pharmacy”. Students presented creative posters and impactful slogans that highlighted the importance of pharmacovigilance and role of pharmacist in patient safety. The competition was evaluated by a distinguished jury panel comprising Dr. Sradhanjali Mohapatra,faculty- S Dr. Saroj Kumar and Dr. Smriti Khanna, who judged the entries on creativity, scientific accuracy, clarity of message, and overall presentation. The winners were appreciated for their innovative contributions to promoting drug safety awareness

Winners were recognised and applauded for their innovative contributions to spreading awareness about pharmacovigilance and theme of Pharmacist Day celebration for the year 2025 i.e. “Think Health, Think Pharmacist”  

The celebrations concluded with a Valedictory Session held on the occasion of World Pharmacist Day. The event was graced by esteemed dignitaries including Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Registrar; Dr. Anupama Diwan, Dean SPS, who distributed certificates and prizes to the winners and participants of the Nukkad Natak, Reel Competition and Poster Competition. 

The session was further enriched by the presence of distinguished guest speakers, Dr. Mohan Prasad, Chief Research & Development Officer – API, Walter Bushnell Research & Development Pvt. Limited, and Mr. Manoj Karwa, Head – Clinical Trial & Pharmacovigilance, Auriga Research Pvt. Limited, who shared their valuable insights on research, clinical trials, and pharmacovigilance. Their words motivated the students and faculty to contribute more actively towards patient safety and ADR reporting. 

The event concluded with appreciation for the organising committee members, faculty, and students for their dedicated efforts throughout the week, making the 5th National Pharmacovigilance Week a meaningful and successful celebration.  The week-long celebration successfully highlighted the importance of ADR reporting, patient safety, and the vital role of healthcare professionals and students in ensuring safe and effective healthcare delivery with a promise that the awareness to masses will keep going and much more events will be done to ensure “Importance of Patient Safety” to be known to one and all.