Overview

Pharmacy practice is one of the recent branches of pharmacy which was designed to develop a new generation of pharmacist working in a clinical setup along with physician and other paramedics in-order to promote the patient oriented services, where the pharmacist focus on optimizing medication use, decreasing medication errors, adverse drug reactions (ADRs), promoting health and preventing disease, rather than traditionally focusing on manufacturing and dispensing of drugs.

Mission

To provide high quality education to future clinical pharmacists and thereby develop outstanding clinical pharmacist who will advance community health through excellence and innovation in pharmacy, patient care, research, public service and life-long learning values.

Vision

To be a pioneer college that provides clinical pharmacist who will provide services as:
Patient Education: To educate the patient and community about diseases and various drug therapy and treatment available by counselling process.
Patient Care: To provide evidence-based care that optimizes medication use across all health care settings and also to optimize health outcomes by constantly working with patients, caregivers, health care professionals, policy makers and health planners.
Drug Dispensing: will ensure safe and effective therapy through secure and reliable medication prescribing, supply and delivery systems
Research work: Through generation and utilization of knowledge to advance patient care, medication safety, disease prevention and treatment, health care cost-effectiveness and quality and apply new knowledge to develop and evaluate innovative health care delivery models, pharmacy education models, and health policies.
Public Service: To participate in local, state, national and global health programs that will help in promoting; health improvement, wellness, disease prevention, its treatment and access to health care even during natural calamities.
Industrial research service: To develop cutting-edge research in pharmaceutical sciences, drug discovery, clinical translational research, and clinical trials participation.

Scope:

The department has a vast scope involving various sectors giving employment to Pharm. D and M. Pharm (Pharmacy Practice).

1. Hospital and Clinical based

· As Pharmacist.

· As Patient counselor.

· Drug Information Center.

· Poison Information Centre.

· Developing protocols for hospital.

· Take part in medical rounds and give appropriate ideas on drug.

· Give helping hand for clinical research.

· Internal trainer.

2. Industry Based.

· Clinical Research Associate

· Clinical Research Coordinate

· Clinical Trial Assistant

· Safety Officer

· Medical Writer

· Clinical Data Management

· Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC)

· Regulatory Affairs

· Pharmacovigilance

· Investigator and Sub-investigator

3. Educational Based

· Hospitals as educators

· College as teaching in: D. Pharm, B. Pharm, M. Pharm, Pharm D, Diploma in clinical Research.

Faculty


Dr. Suja Abraham Professor & HOD View More Vidwan Id: 345624	Ms. Antriya Annie Tom Associate Professor View More Vidwan Id: 451329	Dr. Dona Mariya Jetto Assistant Professor View More Vidwan Id: 396822	Dr. Merrin Joseph Assistant Professor View More Vidwan Id: 393161

Mr. Jobin Kunjumon Vilapurath Assistant Professor View More Vidwan Id: 394918	Ms. Anu Mol Saju Assistant Professor View More Vidwan Id: 396798	Dr. Sreelekshmi B S Assistant Professor View More Vidwan Id:

Facilities

The department of pharmacy practice is equipped with a well-defined computer area to combat the requirement of Pharmacotherapeutics lab.

A full-fledged lab with 30 computers is exclusively available for the students for performing their day to day work.

The lab is connected with a presentation room separated by a falls-wall of glass which gives a view of both the side to simultaneously control the activity.

This presentation room is exclusively used for the student’s case presentation/ project presentation and other departmental presentations.

Apart from the above, the department at all time has technical software for the students which is used for monitoring (activity), detecting (ADR/ Medication error) and assisting students’ activity.

The department collaborates with Nirmala Medical Centre Hospital and runs Drug Information Centre (DIC) to assist Physicians, Nurses and Pharmacists. In DIC the students and faculties are provided with desktop with highspeed internet to utilize the software. The DIC is also equipped with printers for taking prints used for assisting the patients by providing informational on their queries.

In Nirmala Medical Centre hospital, the department has facilities to conduct classes and is provided with 2 class room cum presentation room, a departmental library with various books for the ready reference. The presence of faculty room with fulltime appointed faculties are available for facilitating the students to develop their clinical knowledge.

Consultancy

PvPI

PHARMACOVIGILANCE PROGRAM OF INDIA (PVPI)

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), New Delhi, under the aegis of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has initiated a nationwide pharmacovigilance program in July 2010. Initially, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi served as the National Coordinating Centre (NCC) for monitoring Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) and later shifted to the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

PURPOSES:-

The vision of PvPI is to improve patient safety and welfare in the Indian population by monitoring drug safety and thereby reducing the risk associated with the use of medicines.
The purpose of the PvPI is to collate data, analyze it, and use the inferences to recommend informed regulatory interventions, besides communicating risks to healthcare professionals and the public.

SCOPE:-

To identify and resolve medication-related adverse reactions and promote patient safety.
To analyze the identified ADRS and assess its causality to prevent further related events.
Communicate with other healthcare providers and regulatory authorities to recommend safety alerts.

To meet the purposes and scope of PvPI, National Coordinating Centre (NCC) for monitoring Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) started ADR Monitoring Centers (AMC) in hospitals and academic institutions running Pharm D courses. Nirmala College of Pharmacy was recognized as an authorized PvPI AMC center in the year 2021.

MECHANISM OF DATA COLLECTION & SUBMISSION TO PVPI

All the adverse reactions which are identified in Nirmala Medical Center by the clinicians/healthcare members/Clinical Pharmacists were assessed based on the WHO Probability Scale and were reported using Vigiflow Software. ADR is identified by signal detection through the use of antihistamines, sudden withdrawal of drugs, antibiotic switchover before completing the course, and significant changes in lab parameters. The process includes identifying the suspected drug causing the ADR, collecting patient and event details in CDSCO forms, entering all information in the PvPI-AMC website through Vigiflow as ICSRs (Individual Case Safety Reports) and assessing the causality using the WHO probability scale.

From the time of inception, the total number of cases reported by the center is around 47. The most commonly reported ADR from the center was Injection Ofloxacin 100mg induced oral mucositis and rash. As per the assessment based on the WHO Probability Scale, the most recurrent scores which were reported were possible (26 cases), Probable (21 cases), Certain(2 cases), and probable/likely (1 case).

The Number of cases collected each month from Dec 2021 to Sept 2023 are:-

ACTIVITIES at AMC-NCP:-

Constituted Causality Assessment Committee with members from Nirmala Medical Center and Nirmala College of Pharmacy to assess each adverse event occurring in Nirmal Medical Center
Organized programs as part of the second National Pharmacovigilance Week based on the Theme “Encouraging reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions by patients” at Nirmala Medical Center, Muvattupuzha on 17/09/2022

The programs include,

Awareness and sensitization program on reporting of ADR
Distribution of patient education leaflet about the significance of ADR reporting
Mime depicting the concept of Pharmacovigilance

Organized programs as part of the third National Pharmacovigilance Week based on the Theme “Boosting Public Confidence in Pharmacovigilance” at various locations

List of Events Conducted

Date	Program	Venue
16/09/2023	Workshop on Pharmacovigilance and Vigiflow, by Ms. Tinu TS, Pharmacovigilance Associate, regional Training Center & ADR monitoring center, AIMS, Kochi	Nirmala College of Pharmacy, Muvattupuzha
17/09/2023-23/09/2023	National Level E-Quiz	Online
20/09/2023	Debate Competition	Nirmala College of Pharmacy, Muvattupuzha
21/09/2023	Public awareness about pharmacovigilance- Skit performance	Grand Center Mall, Muvattupuzha
23/09/2023	Awareness session on adverse reactions to Nursing students	Caritas College of Nursing, Kottayam

FACULTY -IN-CHARGES

1. Dr. Suja Abraham, Coordinator- AMC and Chairman of Causality Assessment Committee

2. Ms. Antriya Annie Tom, Deputy Coordinator- AMC and Member of Causality Assessment Committee

3. Dr. Shaija Mathew, Medical Superintendent, Nirmala Medical Center and Member of Causality Assessment Committee

Drug Information Center

The drug information centre is for providing information regarding the patient's disease condition, medications, and the lifestyle modifications needed

Purpose:

Provision of Accurate medication Information.
DICs aim to offer precise, evidence-based details about medications and pharmaceuticals to help inform decision-making.

Scope:-

Comprehensive Drug Information
Healthcare Decision Support
Patient and Caregiver Education

Activities:-

Query Handling: actively address medication-related inquiries from clinicians, nurses, patients, and caregivers.
Accessibility: They place query forms in hospital wards and public areas, making it easy for anyone to seek information. Email contact may also be provided.
Information Resources: Specialized drug information software, like Micromedex, is used to ensure up-to-date, evidence-based responses.
Timely Responses: respond promptly, with set deadlines, to avoid delays in healthcare decisions.
Rational Healthcare Decision-Making: offer comprehensive information to support informed decisions, promoting better patient outcomes.
Medication Adherence: educate patients and caregivers, increasing adherence and overall health.
Query Records: maintain records of handled queries for reference and quality improvement purposes

Contact person: Dr. Merin, Assisstant Professor , NCP

ISPOR

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOME RESEARCH (ISPOR)

The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcome Research (ISPOR), is currently known as the Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcome Research (HEOR), with headquarters in US. This is a globally renowned organization with a mission to improve patient health by high-quality, cost-effective treatment modalities. Nirmala College of Pharmacy established a student chapter under Kerala University, ISPOR -KUHS, in 2015.

PURPOSE OF ISPOR-KUHS STUDENT CHAPTER

To disseminate knowledge in Health Economics and Outcome Research (HEOR)
To perform outcome-based research projects.
To Collaborate with professional bodies to enhance patient outcomes through Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs)

SCOPE:-

Join with National & international ISPOR chapters to gain knowledge and enhance skills related to health economics.
Improving patient safety by providing proper education related to medications for patients and healthcare professionals

ACTIVITIES:-

Establishment of student chapter as ‘ISPOR-KUHS’ at Nirmala College of Pharmacy in 2015, making it the first institution in Kerala to associate with ISPOR.
Conducting more than 15 programs each year and updating the details to ISPOR.
Organizing medical camps and awareness sessions for patients.
Providing medication-related education to healthcare providers.
Participated as a Mentor for the ‘Adopt a Chapter’ program, and conducted Mentor-mentee association with Narayana College of Pharmacy, Andhra Pradesh.
Blog writing initiative Nirmala INFOBLISS is created and run by students to disseminate information and knowledge related to health economics and outcome research.

Sl. No.	Name	Chapter Role	Phone	Email id
1.	Camila A Carlman	President	7736362926	camilacarlman2000@gmail.com
2.	Sreelakshmi Sreekumar	Vice president	8113067598	sreeparu2001@gmail.com
3.	Anita Alphonsa Binu	Treasurer	9074485197	binuanitaalphonsa@gmail.com
4.	Sneha Susan Samuel	Secretary	9995384378	snehasusansamuel1@gmail.com
5.	Dr. Suja Abraham	Faculty advisor	9995162188	sujaabraham2021@gmail.com