Abstract

THE SCIENCE OF DRUG SAFETY: A FOCUS ON PHARMACOVIGILANCE

Abhay Kumar Yadav*

ABSTRACT

Pharmacovigilance, an integral component of healthcare systems, focuses on the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related issues. In a rapidly evolving pharmaceutical landscape, pharmacovigilance remains crucial in promoting the safe and effective use of medicines, ultimately benefiting patient well-being and public health. This review article provides an overview of pharmacovigilance, its scope and the steps involved in ensuring drug safety. It emphasizes the importance of spontaneous reporting, pharmacovigilance databases, signal detection, and also touches upon the international cooperation in pharmacovigilance and the role of regulatory authorities. Furthermore, it highlights the Challenges and future trends in pharmacovigilance.

Keywords: Pharmacovigilance, Adverse drug reactions, Adverse Events, Regulatory Agencies, Signal detection, European Medicines Agency.