Show your support for reporting suspected adverse drug reactions
We are running a social media campaign to promote the reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions to the Yellow Card Scheme in support of an awareness week from 7 to 11 November 2016. The main message of the campaign is that reporting helps make medicines safer and saves lives.
What can healthcare professionals and their organisations do?
- follow us on our social media channels and show your support for the importance of reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by retweeting, commenting, liking, and sharing material with your social media contacts. You can follow us via:
- Twitter (@MHRAgovuk and @MHRAmedicines)
- YouTube
- encourage dialogue between your colleagues and your patients about the importance of reporting suspected ADRs. Engage locally with your regional Yellow Card Centre or your local Medication Safety Officer (MSO) in England at your hospital trust
- don’t wait to report any suspected ADRs to the Yellow Card Scheme
Campaign material for the awareness week includes animations and infographics, and is available on the Yellow Card reporting website.
The reporting of suspected ADRs is key to patient safety. This campaign—the first of its kind in Europe—will help encourage greater local and national awareness about the importance of reporting to support the earlier detection of safety issues.
We also have dedicated guidance on the Yellow Card scheme for healthcare professionals. In addition to suspected adverse reactions to medicines, the Yellow Card scheme also collects reports on potential problems or incidents involving medical devices, defective medicines, counterfeits, herbal and homeopathic products, and e-cigarettes or their refill containers (e-liquids).
Article citation: Drug Safety Update volume 10 issue 4, November 2016: 2.