Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) Recognized by WHO SEARN as Regional Centre of Excellence in Pharmacovigilance and Technical Centre in Quality of Medicines

Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India participated in the 10^th Anniversary Meeting of the South-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN) held in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 4-5 August 2026. The meeting brought together representatives of National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), pharmacopoeias, and international organizations from across the South-East Asia Region to commemorate a decade of regional collaboration and to strengthen regulatory systems for ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products.

The SEARN is a collaborative platform established by the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) to strengthen regulatory systems across Member States. Since its inception in 2016, SEARN has facilitated cooperation among National Regulatory Authorities through knowledge sharing, regulatory convergence, capacity building, and reliance mechanisms. The network operates through thematic working groups focusing on key regulatory functions, including quality assurance, pharmacovigilance, clinical trials oversight, regulatory preparedness, and medical device regulation, with the shared objective of improving access to safe, effective and quality-assured medical products throughout the Region.

The IPC delegation comprised Dr. V. Kalaiselvan, Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, Dr. Jai Prakash, Senior Principal Scientific Officer, Dr. Robin Kumar, Senior Principal Scientific Officer and Mr. Arvind Kumar Sharma, Scientific Officer.

During the meeting, IPC highlighted India's continued commitment to strengthening drug regulatory system and promoting access to quality-assured medicines through internationally harmonized standards. The delegation showcased the IPC's key initiatives in the development and publication of the Indian Pharmacopoeia, establishment of Indian Pharmacopoeia Reference Substances (IPRS) and Impurity Reference Standards (IMPRS), pharmacovigilance and materiovigilance activities under the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) and Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI), capacity-building programmes, and collaborative efforts with national and international stakeholders.

A significant milestone achieved during the meeting was the recognition of the IPC as the WHO-SEARN Regional Centre of Excellence in Pharmacovigilance and the Technical Centre in Quality. This prestigious recognition acknowledges IPC's sustained contributions to strengthening pharmacovigilance systems, advancing pharmaceutical quality standards, and supporting regulatory capacity-building across the WHO South-East Asia Region. The designation further reinforces IPC's role as a leader in pharmacopoeial science & standards and its commitment to promoting collaboration, knowledge sharing, and harmonization among Member States.

The meeting served as a valuable platform for exchanging scientific knowledge, sharing regulatory experiences, and discussing emerging challenges in pharmaceutical regulation, including quality assurance, safety, regulatory reliance, digital transformation, and regional cooperation. IPC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting collaborative initiatives that strengthen regulatory systems and improve public health outcomes across the South-East Asia Region.

IPC's participation in the 10^th Anniversary Meeting of SEARN, coupled with its designation as the Regional Centre of Excellence in Pharmacovigilance and Technical Centre in Quality, marks another significant achievement in India's contribution to regional regulatory cooperation. The IPC remains committed to supporting WHO SEARN initiatives, fostering regulatory excellence, and ensuring the availability of safe, effective, and quality-assured medical products for the people of the South-East Asia Region.

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