Ensuring drug safety a collaborative process

THE Health Ministry (MOH) issued a significant message during MedSafetyWeek, held from Nov 5 to 11, urging the public to actively report and monitor medication side effects. This aligns with MedSafetyWeek’s 2024 theme “Preventing Side Effects” that is aimed at reducing adverse drug reactions (ADR) through proper usage, and reinforcing the importance of reporting side effects.

While medications are rigorously tested and approved by the National Pharmaceutical Regu-latory Agency (NPRA), the limited number of trial participants means that not all potential side effects can be detected. Post-market monitoring captures data from a larger user base, enabling manufacturers to identify side effects that may not have been observed during trials. With this data, the MOH, through the NPRA, can update safety information and refine guidelines to ensure medications are used safely.