Ensuring Safety: The Role of Medical Device Committees in India

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has instructed medical colleges to form committees to monitor adverse events related to medical devices, aiming at better patient safety. Coordinated by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, the Materiovigilance Programme of India supports this initiative, promoting systematic reporting and regulatory action based on the data collected.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a directive to all medical college deans and principals nationwide, urging the formation of committees to monitor and prevent adverse events related to medical devices.

According to a public notice, these committees must be registered with the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC). The importance of such monitoring is underscored by incidents where medical devices have caused patient harm, prompting the need for a robust system to track and prevent recurrences.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI) in 2015 to address this issue. Coordinated by the IPC and supported by a network of Medical Device Adverse Events Monitoring Centres, the program collects and analyzes data to ensure device safety and improve healthcare delivery across the country.

(With inputs from agencies.)