New Delhi, Sept. 28 -- The Union government is set to make a critical change to healthcare policy by mandating that all hospitals include an Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting form as a compulsory part of the patient admission process, officials familiar with the matter said, and documents reviewed by Mint showed.

This move is designed to create a more robust and consistent system for gathering data on drug side effects, which is crucial for the early detection of any new or serious risks associated with medications. The ultimate goal is to enhance public health by ensuring the safety of medicines in the market.

This new mandate is a key initiative of the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), overseen by the Indian Pharmacopoe...