In July, India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare formally launched the Materiovigilance Program of India (MvPI). This plan will monitor the quality of medical devices in India and seek to improve patient health and safety. According to the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, the program will create 10 Adverse Effect Monitoring Centers throughout the country as well as a nationwide database that will track medical device history.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare hopes that this system will make doctors and professionals aware of the importance of reporting medical device-associated adverse events. According to Pharmabiz, a website that tracks developments in India’s pharmaceutical market, the nationwide database will be able to monitor the risk-benefit profile of various medical devices and better ensure patient safety and industry standards. Dr. G N Singh, Drug Controller General of India, said, “Considering the current healthcare needs of the country, MvPI is a necessity essential to safeguard the interest of the patients. Thus we would ask all the stakeholders to come forward and support us in this national cause.” MvPI is the first Indian organization dedicated to monitoring medical devices and protecting patients against potential adverse events.