Pharmacovigilance is a big word that sounds complicated, but it simply means making sure that medicines are safe to use. If I need to explain to you in a very simple language then it is a safety net for medicines. Just like how a safety net catches a performer if they fall, the same pharmacovigilance catches any problems or risks that might come up after a medicine is used.
It is about monitoring closely for any problems that might happen when people take medicine and also making sure that doctors, patients, and medicine makers know about those problems.
When doctors and scientists want to see anything or any problem regarding medicine they look for this. In this blog, we will explore the types of pharmacovigilance that help keep us safe when we take medicine.
What Is Pharmacovigilance?
Before knowing about the types of pharmacovigilance, firstly you need to know what this technique is. Pharmacovigilance is the science of studying how medicines work in real life. It looks at how safe and effective medicine is when people use any medicine for a longer period. Pharmacovigilance helps us to find out what those side effects are, how they happen, and how to fix them.
Types of Pharmacovigilance
Now I hope you have understood about Pharmacovigilance. Let’s look at the pharmacovigilance types that are used in the real world. There are different ways to watch and report the safety of medicines known as types of Pharmacovigilance. These include:
1. Spontaneous Reporting
This type of pharmacovigilance reporting is the most common. When a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist notices a problem with a medicine and tells the company that made the medicine is known as spontaneous reporting.
Doctors and patients can easily report side effects or problems with medicines on their own. It is a way to quickly find out about new problems with a medicine that might not have been seen before.
2. Targeted Reporting
Targeted Reporting is a more planned way of monitoring medicines. Health professionals are asked to look more carefully at certain medicines. They focus on specific groups of people or medicines that might have a higher risk for health. It helps to gather information on medicines that could cause harm to people with specific health conditions or in certain age groups.
We see in daily life that some people are allergic to certain medicines so targeted reporting is something that a health professional can do to watch which medicine is having higher risk for certain health problems.
3. Cohort Event Monitoring
Here they monitor groups of people who take the same medicine and are closely watched. Health professionals follow these groups over time to see if there are any problems or not. If enough people in the group have similar side effects, it becomes clear that the medicine might be causing those problems. This helps scientists understand the safety of a medicine in a better way.
4. Epidemiological Studies
This study is like a big research study. Scientists look at large groups of people to find out if certain medicines cause problems. There is a comparison of people who take medicine to those who don’t. This helps doctors understand the risks of taking certain medicines, especially when used by many people over many years.
5. Post-Marketing Surveillance
This study is done after a new medicine is approved and sold, post-marketing surveillance helps keep an eye on how it is doing in the real world. Although the medicines are tested before they are sold, post-marketing surveillance is still important because it can find new problems that were not noticed during earlier testing. People may have different reactions to the medicine in the real world compared to the controlled tests.
Types of Cases in Pharmacovigilance
Pharmacovigilance is not just about monitoring general problems with medicine. It is also about understanding different types of cases where something goes wrong. These types of cases in pharmacovigilance help doctors and scientists figure out what happened and how to fix the problem. Some examples are:
1. Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs)
These reactions (ADRs) are unwanted or harmful effects that happen after taking medicine. These reactions are mild problems from a rash or upset stomach, to serious ones, like heart related issues or even death with the help of Pharmacovigilance doctors spot these reactions early and take immediate action.
2. Medication Errors
Sometimes, people take the wrong medicine or the wrong dose by accident. These mistakes are called medication errors which cause people health hazards. Pharmacovigilance looks for these errors so they can be fixed. For example, it might be because a doctor wrote the wrong prescription or sometimes the wrong medicine was given to the patient.
3. Drug Interactions
You must have heard that few medicines can’t be taken together. For example, opioids with benzodiazepines or alcohol can not be taken together and have side effects called Drug interactions that happen when two or more medicines affect each other. Sometimes, one medicine can make another one stronger or weaker, which can cause problems. Pharmacovigilance looks for these interactions to make sure people don’t take dangerous combinations of medicines.
4. Lack of Effectiveness
Medicine does not work the way it is supposed to be. It might not help the patient’s problem at all, or it might stop working after a while. Pharmacovigilance checks to see if a medicine is truly effective or if people need a different treatment.
Types of Reporting in Pharmacovigilance
Reporting is one of the most important parts of pharmacovigilance. When something goes wrong with a medicine, it is important to report it so that others can know about it. There are different types of reporting in pharmacovigilance, these are the reporting types:
1. Voluntary Reporting
Voluntary reporting is stated as when someone—like a doctor, nurse, or patient—decides to report a problem with a medicine. This type of reporting can happen through websites, phone calls, or other methods. It is not required, but it is a way to make sure that the medicine is safe.
2. Mandatory Reporting
Mandatory reporting is known as when health professionals and companies are required by law to report certain side effects or problems with medicines. For example, if a serious problem happens with a medicine, the company that makes the medicine must report it to the government. This helps keep everyone informed about the risks and side effects of medicines.
3. Periodic Safety Update Reports (PSURs)
PSURs are the reports that companies have to submit on a regular time span to update authorities about the safety of their medicines. These reports give detailed information at how safe a medicine is after it’s been sold. It includes all the problems and side effects that have been reported during that time.
4. Risk Management Plans (RMPs)
A risk management plan is a special type of plan that companies make to show how they will handle the risks of a medicine. It includes information on how they will collect data on side effects, how they will warn people about risks, and how they will act to mean the resolution if problems occur.
Types of Signals in Pharmacovigilance
A signal word in pharmacovigilance is a warning or clue that something might be wrong with a medicine. Types of signals in pharmacovigilance include:
1. New or Unexpected Side Effects
When something unusual happens with a medicine, like a new side effect that was not seen before, it is called a signal. This could be a sign that the medicine is not safe in certain ways or for specific people.
2. Increase in Known Side Effects
If a side effect that was already known starts to happen more often or becomes more serious, it can be a signal that the medicine is more dangerous than the health professional thought. Pharmacovigilance watches for these signals to prevent harm.
3. New Drug Interactions
Sometimes, a medicine might cause a problem when combined with another one. If these interactions happen more often than expected, then it is a signal that something needs to change with how those medicines are used together.
4. Population-Specific Signals
Signals can also be linked to a specific group of people, like children, older, adults, or people with certain health conditions. Pharmacovigilance keeps an eye out for these special cases to make sure everyone stays safe when taking medicines.
Conclusion
Now we come to the conclusion which states that Pharmacovigilance is a very important part of keeping medicine safe for everyone. This should exist in the world to keep the world and people safe. By watching and reporting different types of problems and signals, doctors, scientists, and patients can make sure that medicines do more good than harm. With all the different types of pharmacovigilance, we can stay protected from the risks and side effects that might come with taking medicine.
We hope this article will help readers to know better about Pharmacovigilance or the types of pharmacovigilance, Yes this can be an amazing career option as well if you want to try your luck and want to establish yourself in the healthcare sector then this one of the best courses to go for.
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