| Medical science has grown in leaps and bounds since | | | | - Research the efficacy of drugs |
| the days of Hippocrates. Modern day pharmaceutical | | | | How does pharmacovigilance help the public? |
| drugs are really life-savers. They have increased life | | | | Pharmacovigilance helps save thousands of lives each |
| expectancy and improved the quality of life for | | | | year. By monitoring the adverse effects of drugs |
| millions of people. But there is the other side of the | | | | right from the lab to the pharmacy and then on for |
| coin as well. These drugs sometimes have very | | | | many years, pharmacovigilance keeps track of any |
| adverse effects that can even be life-threatening. | | | | drastic effects of drugs. This way, it prevents harm |
| The drug Vioxx is a case in point. | | | | to patients using those drugs. |
| What is pharmacovigilance? | | | | How does pharmacovigilance help drug |
| There is a need to monitor the effects of drugs | | | | manufacturers? |
| before and after it's successfully tested and launched | | | | Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars and |
| in the market. Pharmacovigilance involves monitoring | | | | a considerably long-time in developing new drugs. |
| and assessing the quality of drugs; detecting and | | | | They again spend a lot of money in conducting clinical |
| preventing any adverse effects of drugs. | | | | trials before the drugs are approved and launched in |
| Pharmacovigilance involves evaluating information | | | | the market. But after all this, if there are adverse |
| provided by healthcare providers, pharmaceutical | | | | effects to the drugs, the company again loses millions |
| companies and patients in order to understand the | | | | of dollars in sales and litigations. Furthermore, the |
| risks and benefits involved with a particular drug. | | | | reputation of the company is also severely damaged. |
| What is the role of pharmacovigilance? | | | | Pharmacovigilance monitors the development of the |
| The goal of pharmacovigilance is to: | | | | drug across various stages and assesses its |
| - Monitor the quality of drugs | | | | effectiveness after its launch for many years. This |
| - Identify the health risks involved in the | | | | way it may reduce the adverse risk from drugs, |
| administration of certain drugs | | | | thereby aiding the drug manufacturers. |
| - Prevent harm to patients | | | | |