New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS): Medicines behave differently in different bodies, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday, adding that, it is important to know about the content, impact and side effects of medicines.

The Union Health Minister on Thursday launched the Sixth Edition of National Formulary of India (NFI). The NFI has been published by Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) to promote rational use of medicines in the country.

Congratulating efforts of experts, doctors and researchers, Mandaviya said that NFI, 2021 would act as a guidance document for all the healthcare professionals such as clinicians, pharmacists, nurses, dentists etc. It will play a crucial role in daily clinical practices.

The NFI is published to promote rational use of medicines in the country and act as guidelines for Clinicians and Healthcare professionals while prescribing the medicines to the patients.

The 6th Edition of NFI 2021 has been drafted by adopting the principle 'do not miss critical and do not overload' the information by revising the appendices, chapters and drug monographs.

The NFI is aligned with National Health Programmes and National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). A total of 34 therapeutic categories chapters including 591 drug monographs and 23 appendices are included in this edition.

The chapters in the edition includes Analgesics, Anti-pyretics and Anti-inflammatory drugs, Anti-epileptics, Antacids and Anti-ulcer Drugs, Anti-allergics and Drugs Used in Anaphylaxis, Anti-diarrhoeals and Laxatives, Antidotes and Substances used in Poisoning, Anti-migraine drugs, Basics of Medical Emergencies, Dermatological Drugs.