Anyone can report, either for yourself or someone else, with everyone benefiting each time we do. This aligns with the World Health Organization (WHO) ‘Patients for patient safety’ programme.
In the UK, we are focusing on highlighting the importance of reporting suspected problems from all healthcare products to the Yellow Card scheme, no matter who you are. We are seeking your support to raise awareness of the scheme to increase awareness and reporting from the general public.
You can report suspected adverse drug reactions to any medicine (including blood products, vaccines and herbal/homeopathic medicines), as well as from other healthcare products including medical device incidents, defective and falsified (fake) products, and safety concerns with e-cigarettes/vapes and their refill containers (e-liquids).
This year we’re celebrating 10 years of #MedSafetyWeek and working together with regulators from 117 countries and 131 organisations participating across the globe in the campaign.
Calling all Healthcare Professionals to support #MedSafetyWeek 2025:
- follow MHRA social media channels and share campaign content using hashtags #MHRAYellowCard, #MedSafetyWeek, #ReportSideEffects, and #patientsafety to increase the awareness of reporting
- use campaign materials and other resources available on the Yellow Card website to raise awareness locally, including a digital poster for screens and for patient waiting areas
- tell your colleagues and report problems with healthcare products to the Yellow Card scheme or via the Yellow Card app
- inform patients about potential risks of healthcare products and what to do if they experience any side effects; this includes encouraging them to self-report using the Yellow Card scheme and the importance of reporting to improve patient safety
Healthcare professionals play a vital role in identifying and reporting suspected problems with healthcare products. Reporting is considered the cornerstone of effective safety monitoring. Yellow Card reports help identify new adverse effects and gain more information about known adverse effects to prevent future harm to others.
- Visit the Yellow Card #MedSafetyWeek campaign page and download the materials for use
- See the Yellow Card website for more information and resources including e-learning modules, promotional materials, and reporting guidance
- Contact your local Yellow Card Centre, Medication Safety Officer (MSO) or Medical Device Safety Officer (MDSO) for support and wider opportunities
- Read the Yellow Card scheme guidance for healthcare professionals and the public on gov.uk
- Reporting makes a big difference – share our case studies where Yellow Card reports have directly contributed to improving patient safety
- Sign up to receive our MHRA safety alerts (see below additional information section), or find guidance on our website about the different types of alerts we issue
Excerpt from the official page. The original is authoritative. Continue reading at UK Drug Safety Update ↗