In the medical field, the medical experts’ first and foremost aim is to ensure the patient is safe and being treated effectively. This is where Pharmacovigilance comes in!
Pharmacovigilance is the process where the medications are monitored to ensure that they are safe through regular assessment, observation, prevention, and understanding of the harmful effects or any other problem related to medicine.
For patients to be treated properly, they should have access to the right drugs and medications. Pharmacovigilance was used in the 1970s with the same objective but now includes a wider range of activities.
What’s more? We’ll learn about that in the following sections.
Importance of Pharmacovigilance
In the earlier days, several drugs resulted in multiple side effects which were not good for the patients. So, as new medicines are coming into the market, they must be safe with lesser side effects but are entirely effective. With the help of this process, it is ensured that the drugs offered are safe and of better quality.
Apart from this, Pharmacovigilance allows medical experts to understand the safety of a medication in a better way, which eventually helps them in prescribing safe medicines to patients.
With the help of this process, any possible medical issue can be identified before it can lead to adverse effects such as serious injury or even death. When any medical issue that is caused due to the drug is identified before, it reduces the risk of getting sued for any possible lawsuit on the product.
Best Time to Apply Pharmacovigilance
Now, you must be wondering when this process can be applied. The process is usually applied when a new drug is introduced or a new therapy is suggested in the medical field. It has three phases:
Pre-clinical phase
This phase requires testing animals and includes other clinical trials to identify the possible risks related to the medicine before it is approved for public usage by the authorities.
Clinical phase
This phase takes place before the approval of the medicine to monitor its efficiency and safety in a controlled environment.
Post-marketing phase
Tin this phase, the medicine is monitored for the safety of the medicine in the long run after it has been approved and is available in the market to use. Pharmacists, patients, and doctors monitor and report the medicine if they see any harmful effects.
Authorities Involved
Though the authorities differ from country to country, some common bodies are always a part of it, such as:
- National Health Regulator (NHR)
- Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority (PRA)
- Disease Control Agency (DCA)
To Sum Up
Pharmacovigilance is an excellent step introduced by the medical field that works toward the patient’s welfare. It is always important to check whether these authorities approve the medicines to ensure one’s safety and health.