National Pharmacovigilance week: KU organises weeklong seminar to assess medicines, medical devices

Srinagar, Sep 18: To highlight the importance, need and methodology used in pharmacovigilance and materiovigilance, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kashmir in collaboration with the Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India (APTI), Jammu and Kashmir organised a seminar marking the celebrations of the third (3rd) National Pharmacovigilance week here on Monday.
The weeklong seminar, titled ‘Pharmacovigilance: Need and Methods’ that runs through September 23 aims to deal with safety monitoring and assessment of medicines and medical devices.
Head, Department of Pharmacology, Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Prof Syed Ziaur Rehman delivered an online lecture on ‘Materiovigilance Programme of India’, while Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kashmir, Prof Geer Mohammad Ishaq delivered a lecture on ‘Pharmacovigilance: Need and Methods’ at the university’s Department of Biotechnology auditorium.
Dean, School of Applied Sciences and Technology, University of Kashmir, Prof Z A Bhat emphasised the need for sensitising the students about the need and importance of pharmacovigilance while enumerating the measures required to be taken for boosting the confidence of the public on drug-safety monitoring.
Summarising the initiatives taken by the government in this regard, Prof Bhat urged students to familiarise themselves with such initiatives.
President, Vice-President (North Zone) and General Secretary, APTI appreciated the efforts of the department and APTI, J&K chapter in organising the event for the awareness of students about pharmacovigilance.
Organising Chairman and Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prof Mubashir H Masoodi underscored the importance of the safety of medicines, cosmetics and neutraceuticals, blood products and vaccines as well as the need for continuous assessment and monitoring of their safety by healthcare professionals especially, pharmacists.
Prof Mubashir highlighted the role played by the department so far in the field of pharmacovigilance and delineated the future plans of the department for holding more such events in future.
Students and staff from more than a dozen pharmacy colleges outside Jammu and Kashmir also attended the event online.
The department is also going to celebrate World Pharmacists Day on September 25th which shall be followed by an alumni meet of the department.