The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7252 p792-793
7 June 2003

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  SGM
  New Charter
  CD prescribing
  Asthma
  CFC-free inhaling
  Remuneration
  Branding
  Pharmacy closures
  Yellow cards
  Patient packs
  Penicillin
  The Society

Letters to the Editor

Yellow cards

If in doubt, fill one out!

From Mr J. M. Fallon, MRPharmS

Following the recent transmission of Channel 4's "Dying for drugs"and BBC1's Panorama "Seroxat: e-mails from the edge", I am writing to express my concern over the lack of effective pharmacovigilance and post-marketing surveillance that, as pharmacists, we are in a prime position to undertake and promote to the general public.

Pharmacists are entitled to report adverse drug reactions (ADRs) using the yellow card system. Unfortunately, I do not believe this has materialised into common enough practice such that the general public readily identifies it as an activity we can undertake for them independently and impartially. What does it matter?

Well, declaration was made on the BBC documentary that the system was "considered to be desperately inadequate" and criticism was made that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency does not take such reports directly from the public. The rational conclusion is that we would be leapfrogged from offering a potentially rewarding service if such reports were accepted. Time definitely is not in our favour. Can we justifiably wait for major shifts in how we practise to occur until we routinely undertake such activity? In the face of pressure groups that may follow the lead of Panorama and lobby the authority with its own reporting system, I doubt it. In fact, NHS Direct has now come on board offering this service too (PJ, 3 May, p608).

Pragmatically, reimbursement for service provision is an issue. Ethically, we are duty bound to act in the best interest of the patient and the public at large, such that we should already be actively promoting awareness and readily reporting potential ADRs. If we delay much longer for monetary reasons and we are leapfrogged, at least we cannot argue that we were blind to such an outcome. For those of us willing to act positively following recent adverse publicity, let us follow a conclusion reached in the documentary: "If in doubt about an ADR, fill a yellow card out".

John Fallon
Brighton

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