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News: The Union Minister of State for Health launched the 7th Edition of the National Formulary of India (NFI) 2026 during the 6th National Pharmacovigilance Week.
About National Formulary of India (NFI)
- The National Formulary of India (NFI) is a guidance document for healthcare professionals that promotes the rational and safe use of medicines.
- Published by: The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) publishes the NFI on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare assigned the responsibility of publishing the NFI to the IPC in 2008.
- IPC has published it periodically since 2009.
- Origin: The first, second and third editions of NFI were published in 1960, 1966 and 1979, respectively, by the Ministry of Health, Government of India.
- 2026 Edition: The 7th Edition was launched in 2026.
- Key Highlights of NFI 2026:
- Drug coverage: It contains 34 chapters, 20 appendices and 653 drugs, including 42 fixed-dose combinations and 30 immunologicals.
- Updated monographs: Drug monographs have been revised to align with the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and National Health Programmes.
- Digital access: It is available through NFI Online, with links to health programmes, immunisation schedules and Jan Aushadhi.
- Safe medicine use: It provides guidance for the prescribing, dispensing and administering of medicines.
About Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC)
- IPC is a dedicated autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- Core mandate: It publishes the Indian Pharmacopoeia and National Formulary of India regularly.
- Standards: It specifies standards of identity, purity and strength of drugs.
- Operational status: IPC became fully operational as an autonomous body on 1 January 2009 and
- Funding: It is fully financed by the Central Government.
