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Year : 2021  |  Volume : 53  |  Issue : 2  |  Page : 115--124

Questionnaire-based Pan-India survey for impact assessment of National Formulary of India

Sudhir Chandra Sarangi1, Bikash Medhi2, Ajay Prakash2, Jai Prakash3, Yogendra K Gupta4 
1 Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
2 Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
3 Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Government of India, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
4 All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Correspondence Address:
Prof. Yogendra K Gupta
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
India

Objectives: The National Formulary of India (NFI), a ready reckoner for medicines among healthcare-professionals aims for promoting rational drug use. This needs periodic update based on evidence-based medicines and suggestions from end-users. This study assessed the level of awareness among health-care professionals and sought suggestions for enhancement of utility/content of NFI. Materials And Methods: This pan-India cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted between November-2020 and March-2021. A Google-doc-based validated questionnaire (20 questions) was circulated through E-mail/social media groups and to 311 medical institutes/hospitals/clinics across India through the adverse drug reaction monitoring centers under the Pharmacovigilance Program of India. Results: A total of 461 participants (39-interns, 167-resident doctors, and the rest practicing physicians/doctors) affiliated to 224 institutes/hospitals/clinics had responded. About 46% respondents consulted NFI for drug-related information and 82.3% stated that NFI provides balanced unbiased information. About 95% respondents were aware of NFI's content and 76% mentioned usefulness of NFI in their clinical practice; however, 34.4% had misconceptions about NFI, 28.7% had a false belief that NFI is a legal document to safeguard health-care providers and 22.2% had never used it. Suggestions to enhance NFI's utility included digital accessibility, incorporation of information like drugs for basic medical emergencies (71.3%), disposal of expired-pharmaceutical products (38.7%), pharmaceutical price control policy (36.3%), and drug-procurement practices in hospitals (35.6%). Conclusion: As per the survey findings, NFI is an effective tool for instant access to precise and unbiased drug-related information, and fostering rational use of drugs. Boosting its practical usefulness needs incorporation of suggested information, digital accessibility, and periodic update.


How to cite this article:
Sarangi SC, Medhi B, Prakash A, Prakash J, Gupta YK. Questionnaire-based Pan-India survey for impact assessment of National Formulary of India.Indian J Pharmacol 2021;53:115-124


How to cite this URL:
Sarangi SC, Medhi B, Prakash A, Prakash J, Gupta YK. Questionnaire-based Pan-India survey for impact assessment of National Formulary of India. Indian J Pharmacol [serial online] 2021 [cited 2023 Oct 2 ];53:115-124
Available from: https://www.ijp-online.com/article.asp?issn=0253-7613;year=2021;volume=53;issue=2;spage=115;epage=124;aulast=Sarangi;type=0