Tuesday 9 December 2014

SOPICON 2014 (Brief Report)


Inaugural SOPICON 2014 and International Symposium on Safe Medicine and Safe Patient

ALIGARH December 03: The Department of Pharmacology, J N Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University hosted ‘International Symposium on Safe Medicine and Safe Patient’ in collaboration with the Organizing Committee of XIV Annual Conference of Society of Pharmacovigilance, India (SOPICON’14). 
Dr S S Agarwal, President elect, Indian Medical Association and the Guest of honour on the occasion spoke about the risks pertaining over-the-counter and with the use of traditional medicines. He also discussed ways to reduce risk involved while treating children and expectant mothers with the use of medicines, preventing disorders of the heart and stroke, and treating cancer and kidney ailments.
Dr Agarwal further said that this Symposium would be of particular interest for health professionals including doctors, pharmacists, nurses and managers working in referral, district and community hospitals, community pharmacists, experts involved in supply of medicines, professionals interested in pharmacovigilance, and medical students.

Dr K C Singhal, Vice Chancellor, NIIMS, Jaipur said that there is a need of such seminars as well as National Conferences for promotion of Pharmacovigilance in India and the program would include  all safety issues of medicines. He also said that safety of people is the supreme priority and suggested to keep away from drugs which are occasionally more harmful than beneficial.

The Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor, Lt General Zameeruddin Shah (retd) while presiding over the seminar said that reporting of adverse drug reactions is a major activity of Pharamacovigilance and is a responsibility of all persons involved in healthcare, including patients. He also pointed out that there is a need to develop a culture of reporting whenever medicines show adverse effect.   

Professor Tariq Mansoor, Principal and Chief Medical Superintendent, J N Medical College, AMU urged participants to assure that each and every adverse drug reaction has to be brought to the notice of relevant authorities so that necessary steps could be taken to prevent them in future.

Dr Eugene Van Puijenbroek, Netherlands, while addressing the seminar stated that the Symposium is timely in building an effective strategy for pharmacovigilance and developing educational systems so as to enhance good practice in use of medicines. He added that the Symposium would provide important updates for doctors, pharmacists and nurses on reducing risk from the use of high risk medicines which are often used.

Meanwhile, Brigadier S Ahmad Ali (retd), the Pro Vice Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University, congratulated the organisers and hoped that this symposium would prove to be a good platform for exchange of ideas among experts in the field and all the participants would benefit from the interaction with the distinguished speakers.

The Dean, Faculty of Medicine, JNMC, Prof Shahjahan Bano informed that the adverse effects of drugs could lead to harm, ranging from minor troubles to even death, due to which pharmacovigilance hold the key to prevent these unwanted outcomes.

Professor Tariq Mansoor, Principal and Chief Medical Superintendent, J N Medical College, AMU urged participants to assure that each and every adverse drug reaction has to be brought to the notice of relevant authorities so that necessary steps could be taken to prevent them in future.

Dr Salman Shah conducted the program while the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Syed Ziaur Rehman, Organising Secretary of the Symposium.

SOPICON-2014 concluded



ALIGARH December 10: Prof Herve le Louet, President, International Society of Pharmacovigilance (ISoP) remarked that he was, for the first time, witnessing any such type of conference on Pharmacovigilance in India. He was addressing the valedictory function of XIV Annual Conference of Society of Pharmacovigilance of India (SOPICON-14). He further suggested holding a joint meeting of Society of Pharmacovigilance of India (SoPI) and ISoP to bring more experts from India and abroad to deliberate on a common topic of interest.

During the valedictory function, various prizes were also given to winners by the Chief Guest and Guests of honour. First, Second and Third Uppsala prizes were awarded in the best poster presentations category to Dr Abhishek Goyal, Department of Pediatrics, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Mr M Ramya, KVSR Siddhartha College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh and Mr Jamshed Ahmad, Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), Department of Pharmacology, MAMC, New Delhi, respectively. In addition, Dr Niteen Ahire, Department of Pharmacology, Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, Yavatmal, Maharashtra got Consolation prize in the same poster competition category. P N Saxena Award for best oral presentation was awarded to Dr Abhay Joshi, Department of Pharmacology, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal. However, in the National Pharmacovigilance Quiz, the team comprising of Mr Vishwanath Reddy Gampala and Mr Hemanth Kumar Namuri, Vaagdevi College of Pharmacy Warangal, Telangana got the first prize. A very special prize for non-research poster presentation was also awarded to Ms Gulfisha, student of Diploma in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, AMU.

Dr Syed Ziaur Rahman, Organizing Secretary informed that the conference was well attended by delegates. He said that there were 104 registered delegates, 46 guest speakers including 6 from abroad. Both orations and keynote lecture were delivered by eminent speakers Dr Noel E Cranswick from Australia, Dr Eugene van Pujienbroek from the Netherlands and Dr Herve le Louet from France whereas a large number of  young scholars from different parts of India, participated in both oral and poster presentations.

Prof KC Singhal, Vice Chancellor, NIMS University, Jaipur and the guest of honour on the occasion remarked that he was proud to attend the conference at his own alma mater, where he previously served as a faculty member for more than thirty five years. He further informed that he also initiated a scientific programme for Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring with the support of enthusiastic physicians from many parts of the country and established Society of Pharmacovigilance, India (SoPI).

Dr Ruth Savage, Secretary International Affair, SoPI from New Zealand thanked distinguished speakers and experts from India as well as those from abroad. She expressed confidence that the conference cum symposium provided a good opportunity to discuss various aspects of Pharmacovigilance.

Prof Barna Ganguly, President Elect, SoPI, thanked the organisers for the efficiently organized conference. She appreciated the content of all the lectures including orations, meticulously framed symposiums on burning topics and University hospitality.
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