Adverse drug reactions should be identified and reported to regulatory authorities. This will help prevent negative effects caused by medicines, according to Dr Y.K. Gupta, professor and head of the department of pharmacology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.

At the ‘Drug Diligence – 2017’, a national-level conference and workshop on pharmacovigilance here recently and attended by around 200 delegates from different parts of the country, Gupta said such reports would not only stop the current complications but also reduce future confusions.

Briefing about periodic safety update reports and signal detection, he also said that it was imperative that drugs were constantly reviewed.

Honorary CEO of Mumbai-based QMed Knowledge Foundation Vasumathi Sriganesh felt there was the need for expertise in publishing and searching medical and scientific literature for information on adverse drug effects. “It should be done in the right manner to benefit the medical and pharmaceutical industry and professionals,” she added.

A paper presentation contest for medical and pharmacy students was also conducted on the theme of ‘Pharmacovigilance’ and awards were presented. The event had been awarded 20 CME credit points by the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University.