The British Virgin Islands joins over 80 other members of the international community in observing #MedSafetyWeek, which commenced on November 7 and ends on November 13.
The observation, as explained by Chief of Drugs and Pharmaceutical Services Gracie Wheatley-Smith, aims to place focus on the importance of pharmacovigilance and encourage persons to report suspected side effects of medicines.
“What it is, is a social campaign to really put information out there about medicines and how we can use them safely and also how we can report on any adverse events or adverse reactions that we would be having so that individuals in we call the Uppsala Monitoring Centre in Sweden can analyse that information once it is sent to them and then can make recommendations as to further, future use of the medicine so that we can reduce further harm”, she said.
Wheatley-Smith went on to explain the importance of pharmacovigilance in medicine use, and why members of the public should take initiative to observe their body’s reactions when taking medicine and do the necessary reporting.
“Pharmacovigilance is a very important aspect of using medicines wisely because that is basically what it is…. Therefore, we know that medicines are foreign entities that we are putting in our bodies and because of that we might have some sort of reaction just because it is a foreign entity. So we want to be able to look at that, analyse it and then see and make recommendations as to how we can reduce further harm”, she explained.
While some level of pharmacovigilance already exists in the British Virgin Islands, Wheatley-Smith noted that there is certainly room for improvement.
“We need to enhance reporting, basically I think this is taken lightly by consumers and by your medical professionals. I have seen, working at Peebles Hospital, I have seen and implemented vigilance when I was there. It is to be brought nationally to bring on private and also to make more alert the consumer so that they themselves can report if they are experiencing any side effect or adverse reactions”, he said.
Wheatley Smith stressed that the reporting of side effects and adverse reactions to medicine helps to improve the safety of medicines to all and can assist in tailoring better prescription advice. Members of the public are urged to do their part in the process by reporting any side effects or adverse reactions to the Chief of Drugs and Pharmaceutical Services via telephone at 468-9850 or email at grwheatley-smith@gov.vg.