Introduction to Pharmacovigilance

Introduction to Pharmacovigilance

Author Name : Harshita Verma, Rai Barinder Singh

ABSTRACT

The World Health Organization defines pharmacovigilance as “the Science and activities associated to the detection, assessment, Understanding, assessment, and prevention of adverse effects or any Other drug related concerns”. It is essential for ensuring that patients receive safe medications. Taking a medicine is the same as taking a risk. Only when the advantages of using a drug outweigh the risks is it appropriate to do so. Therefore, the benefit to risk ratio of a drug determines whether it should be used or not. How to quantify risks and benefits is the next issue to be addressed. Observations pertaining topharmacovigilance can also be used to determine the risk associated to the medicine. The pharmacovigilance studies provide information on potential hazards related to the medicine. Even drugs have the potential for unforeseen or planned harmful consequences.

Keywords: Pharmacovigilance(PV), adverse drug