Pharmaceutical industry's first pharmacovigilance centre launched

The pharmaceutical industry's first joint centre for pharmacovigilance has been established between US-based company Accenture and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company in India.

The centre, in Chennai, is operated by more than 140 Accenture employees who will process and code adverse event data and generate periodic and aggregate reports on safety.

Pharmacovigilance is the monitoring of safety data to ensure optimal use of medicines. It entails the capture, assessment, and reporting of potential side effects to medicines.

This is the first time a collaboration for "end-to-end" safety case processing has been established and is inclusive of specialised activities, such as medical review of the reported adverse reactions. The team is organised as a parallel process and extension of the Bristol-Myers Squibb pharmacovigilance headquarters" operations. It allows for the handling of data and reports between Accenture and Bristol-Myers Squibb while not compromising patient safety.

The pharmacovigilance centre is part of Accenture's Life Sciences Centers of Excellence in Bangalore and Chennai that Bristol-Myers Squibb already utilises. Part of the multi-year R&D agreement signed in April this year, the pharmacovigilance centre furthers Bristol-Myers Squibb's efforts to significantly expand its R&D capabilities in India as an integral part of the company's overall global strategy.

"Building a joint team with a specialised focus will support the continued growth of our robust product pipeline, improving scalability and increasing overall productivity,. said John Balian, senior vice president of global pharmacovigilance and epidemiology at Bristol-Myers Squibb. "Working with Accenture, Bristol-Myers Squibb will continue to access world-class talent to deliver on our regulatory obligations, while enhancing our focus on patient safety."

"Leading companies are re-thinking their operating model to drive sustainable growth and productivity,. said Eric Sandor, managing director of Accenture Pharmacovigilance Services. "Through a truly collaborative partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb we have established an industry leading operation that is delivering substantial efficiency and improved flexibility for Bristol-Myers Squibb's pharmacovigilance organisation..