Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the Goa State Pharmacy Council (GSPC), the Quality Council of India (QCI), and HLL Infra Tech Services Limited (HITES) to strengthen drug safety, quality assurance, and capacity-building initiatives across the country.

IPC, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said the agreements are aimed at reinforcing pharmacovigilance systems, promoting rational use of medicines, and enhancing professional competencies in the pharmaceutical sector.

Under the MoU with the Goa State Pharmacy Council, IPC will collaborate on pharmacovigilance, promotion of rational medicine use, and professional development of pharmacists in Goa. The partnership includes strengthening adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting under the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), promoting the National Formulary of India among registered pharmacists, conducting training programmes and continuing education activities, and supporting the establishment and strengthening of ADR Monitoring Centres across healthcare facilities in the state.

The MoU with the Quality Council of India focuses on joint initiatives in quality promotion, public health awareness, and capacity building. The collaboration will involve joint training and awareness programmes, particularly in pharmacovigilance and allied areas, leveraging institutional expertise and technical resources, and undertaking project-based cooperation aligned with national quality and safety objectives.

IPC said these partnerships reflect its continued efforts to work with regulatory bodies, professional councils, quality organisations, and public sector enterprises to promote uniform standards for medicine quality and patient safety nationwide.

Addressing the gathering at the MoU signing ceremony, Harsh Mangla, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, highlighted the critical role of the regulatory ecosystem in strengthening primary and secondary healthcare delivery. He congratulated V. Kalaiselvan, Secretary-cum-Scientific Director of IPC, and representatives of GSPC and QCI, noting that the MoUs should translate into tangible outcomes rather than remain symbolic.

Mangla added that IPC has already signed several MoUs in the past, underscoring its commitment to sustained regulatory and professional collaboration. He stressed the importance of enhancing awareness and capacity among pharmacists to ensure patient safety and quality healthcare delivery, and said the new partnerships would contribute significantly to training, professional education, and improved public health outcomes.