Pharmacovigilance: Scope for a dermatologist

Abstract

Pharmacovigilance is defined as the science of detection, assessment, and prevention of adverse drug reactions in humans. Under-reporting of drug reactions is the major problem and has various reasons. The WHO has initiated the program of reporting all adverse drug reactions now co-ordinated by the Uppsala Monitoring Centre in Uppsala, Sweden, with oversight by an international board. This article presents in brief the relevance, functioning, importance, and the procedure of reporting adverse drug reactions. Dermatologists have the greatest opportunity in reporting various reactions that can happen as they come across majority of these drug reactions, prescribed by all sectors of the health system.