[india-drug] Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council's Drug Information Centre

["dicmspc" <dicmspc@hathway.com>]

Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council's Drug Information Centre, India
-------------------------------------------------------------- 

[Dear colleague, The India-Drug mailing list cannot accept attachments. Please re-send as an email message. Thank you...Moderator]

Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council (MSPC) has set up a Drug Information Centre (DIC) in September 2003, with the aim helping  doctors & pharmacists and common man in getting in-depth and focused drug information and to help medical faculty in monitoring adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by using powerful medical data base, thus improving patient compliance. DIC would be promoting Rational Use of Drugs (RUD) continuously in our state. 

Drug Information Centre (DIC) is an established concept in clinical practice abroad, in developed countries. Concept is just taking it's shape here in India in recent years. Information is key to preventing medication errors. Such information leads to Enhanced Quality of Patient Care and thus Improved Patient Outcome. With rapid Advancement in Medical and Biological Science, huge Information about Drugs & Diseases has emerged out.  Access & authenticity of this vast information being limited, Rational Selection & Utilization of Drugs has been more complex. The conventional method of obtaining Drug Information is through the Medical Representatives & product literature provided by the manufacturers, which may be incomplete or biased. 
MSPC's centre is 3rd Drug Information Centre in India and probably the first one in West Zone of our country. DIC would also serve to the poor people, to bring down the burden of health problem on our society through continuous education. Our DIC will also be assisting doctors & hospital pharmacists in updating on new drugs emerging at international level, in different therapeutic areas. 

DIC welcomes the queries on: (FREE SERVICE)
1. Drug or it's Product Information/Identification
2. Contraindications/Safety
3. Adverse Drug Reactions/Drug Interactions
4. Efficacy/Treatment/Choice of drug
5. Pregnancy/Lactation/Pediatrics
6. Drug Profile/Indications/Dosage
7. Toxicology

Information furnished by DIC has been fully authentic and retrieved mainly from internationally reputed database (Micromedex's Drugdex, USA) and it is delivered through any desired mode of communication. Drugs related queries are sent to us by email, phone or post or in person and we respond to it immediately. DIC has promptly responded to more than 550 medicines related queries in past one year, which have been then documented in a structured format. The software programme has been specially developed for documentation of DIC Queries. We have also prepared and distributed anti-tobacco stickers for hundreds of retail pharmacy outlets here as a part of our Anti-tobacco campaign.  Many Tobacco addicts have called up DIC seeking information about Tobacco Quitting procedure and shown willingness to undergo required treatment to quit this deadly substance.

Drug Information Centre has started a lectures on "Spurious and Counterfeit Drugs" especially for community pharmacists in its premises to increase the understanding among them of this menace present in Indian pharma market. We look forward to a start receiving loads of drugs related queries to our DIC from all pharmacists, doctors and pharma professionals and form a long lasting association to elevate our society to very healthy heights! This center also appeals to all eminent doctors to please report the Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) faced by their patients to build the database in our state, which can be used by international bodies in deciding the susceptibility of Indian Population.(Please see the attached file)

Contact: 
Dr. (Mrs.) Sampada Patvardhan (Ph.D.Tech. Pharmacology)   
In-Charge, Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council's Drug Information Centre
E.S.I.S. Hospital Compound, L.B.S. Marg, Mulund (W), Mumbai-400 080 
Phone: 25930607  Telefax: 25684291/25684418
e-mail: dicmspc@yahoo.co.in  OR dicmspc@hathway.com  Visit us at: www.mspcindia.org/dic

This service is available via phone (25930607) or personal visit for All PHARMACISTS  and DOCTORS during 10.00 am - 5.30 pm  
(MON-FRI except on Govt.holidays) DIC will attend your urgent queries day and night via email.