National Formulary 2026: Key Patient Safety Initiatives
NF 2026 Strengthens Medicine Safety
National Formulary 2026 marks the launch of the 7th edition of the National Formulary of India. Union Minister of State Anupriya Patel launched it during the 6th National Pharmacovigilance Week programme in New Delhi.
The event took place at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre. The Minister also launched guidance for monitoring medical-device adverse events and the ADR-PvPI 2.0 mobile app for iOS users.
New Biovigilance Programme
The Government has approved the Biovigilance Programme of India. The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission will lead monitoring of adverse events linked to medicines and biological products used in organ and tissue transplantation.
India now operates around 1,150 ADR reporting centres across hospitals and medical colleges. The Government plans to extend this network to the primary healthcare level.
Patel said India’s contribution to the WHO patient safety database has improved from the 123rd position during 2009–2014 to 8th globally. The country has also strengthened pharmacovigilance through the PvPI and medical-device monitoring through the MvPI.
The 6th National Pharmacovigilance Week runs from 17–23 September 2026. Its theme is “Promoting Rational Use of Medicines through Pharmacovigilance: A Step Towards Safer Healthcare.”
The NFI 2026 contains 34 chapters, 20 appendices and 653 drugs. These include 42 fixed-dose combinations and 30 immunologicals. The edition aligns drug monographs with the National List of Essential Medicines and National Health Programmes.
Digital tools such as NFI Online, ADR-PvPI 2.0 and ADRMS will support easier reporting and access to medicine-safety information. The initiative also promotes wider use of artificial intelligence and data analytics.
