Medicinal products are used by millions of people to treat their illnesses. However, medicines can sometimes cause adverse reactions. By using them correctly, we can reduce the risk of side effects. And by reporting adverse reactions, we can help make medicines safer for everyone. Studies show that about half of undesirable reactions can be prevented.
This week the ninth global campaign #MedSafetyWeek started, in which the State Expert Center is one of 107 partner organizations.
During #MedSafetyWeek 2024, anyone can help promote the idea of the campaign by using the hashtag and sharing the Center's posts on social media.
Medicines regulatory authorities around the world have reporting systems for monitoring the safety of medicinal products. The goal is to gain more knowledge about adverse reactions. In Ukraine, adverse reactions are reported by doctors, pharmacists, patients, and representatives of patient organizations through the Automated Pharmacovigilance Information System (AISF) https://aisf.dec.gov.ua. All reports are evaluated and analyzed in order to determine the correct next steps to protect patients in Ukraine.
As a reminder, #MedSafetyWeek is a global campaign run by the Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC), the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring. The campaign is supported by the WHO and by members of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA).
In Ukraine, oversight of medicine safety is carried out by the State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Within its powers, the Center ensures the collection, systematization, expert evaluation, summarization, and monitoring of information on adverse reactions and lack of efficacy of medicinal products under conditions of their medical use, with the aim of providing recommendations to the MoH on adopting appropriate decisions regarding registered medicinal products, in particular making clarifications, additions, or changes to information on a medicinal product, conducting studies on the safety of medicinal products, etc.
