Indian forensic pharmacovigilance: status quo

Abstract

To give the judicial system relevant information, forensic science collects, examines, and applies scientific data. Pharmacy fills a forensic niche. The majority of pharmacists moonlight or work in forensics part-time in their day jobs. A person with expertise in pharmacology has professional knowledge and practical experience in the fields of therapeutics, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology in addition to having been exposed to areas like forensic medicine during medical school. All of these knowledge areas can be used in forensic scenarios and serve as an interface. A forensic pharmacologist's training and experience can be beneficial in a wide range of legal issues. The development and integration of forensic pharmacologists in the Indian legal system are urgently required due to the country's rising frequency of criminal and civil cases. A substantial technological improvement in pharmacology research has allowed it to broaden its use beyond the field of medicines, allowing Indian pharmacologists to study the specialized field of forensic pharmacology. The many facets of forensic pharmacology include the different pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in living and dead people, drug interactions, drug abuse, personal injury or death brought on by drug exposure resulting in medico-legal issues, environmental chemical exposure, doping, and forensic pharmacovigilance. Forensic pharmacologists have shown to be invaluable assets in a variety of criminal and civil cases across various nations. They use their pharmacological expertise in civil and legal matters, such as settling disputes, the drug approval process, and the criminal justice system. The role of thorough investigation in determining the cause of death in crime scenes with positive drug screens has been demonstrated via several research papers and case studies. Even the general public is aware of the importance of forensic sciences in the legal system of justice.