The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7247 p608
3 May 2003

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MCA launches web version of yellow card scheme (more)
Online ADR reports (more)

Patients able to report ADRs via NHS Direct

Suspected adverse drug reactions reported by patients are to be put into the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency electronic yellow card ADR scheme via NHS Direct.

Staff at the south east London NHS Direct call centre will make the reports, which is seen as the fulfilment of a pledge given in October 2002 to allow patients to make direct ADR reports themselves. NHS Direct nurses will decide whether to report an ADR arising from their discussions with callers to NHS Direct.

A Government spokesman explained: "NHS Direct nurses will talk to the patient in the same way as a general practitioner regarding the circumstances of the reaction. The response will determine whether the nurse makes a yellow card report."

Pharmacists can also submit electronic yellow card reports via the internet (see above).

MHRA chairman, Professor Alasdair Breckenridge, said: "The yellow card scheme has been the cornerstone of monitoring drug safety for nearly 40 years. We now plan to roll out across England a new service offered by NHS Direct. This will enable patients to contribute directly to the scheme by reporting their own ADRs. We will be carefully monitoring the results of this pilot."