Post marketing surveillance of suspected adverse drug reactions through spontaneous reporting: current status, challenges and the future

BACKGROUND: To highlight the importance of spontaneous reporting programs in post marketing surveillance of medicines. Authors also aimed at providing various dimensions of spontaneous programs, including the strengths and weakness, and providing an insight on the future prospects of pharmacovigilance systems. METHODS: Various literature related to post marketing surveillance and spontaneous reporting programs were reviewed and the relevant ones highlighting the strengths and weaknesses are summarized. A balance of information on strengths and weaknesses is listed. The health professionals’ awareness regarding existing spontaneous reporting programs is highlighted. Future prospects of pharmacovigilance are discussed. RESULTS: Though beneficial, spontaneous reporting programs encounter several limitations and difficulties in diagnosing adverse drug reaction. Under-reporting and bias are major challenges. Online signal detection tools and innovative methods are needed to strengthen the spontaneous reporting programs. We provide the various issues to be considered while depending on spontaneous reporting programs as a method of post marketing surveillance. CONCLUSION: To strengthen the spontaneous reporting programs as an effective post marketing surveillance method, more awareness among health professionals and innovative strategies is needed. Integrating pharmacogenetic data can be a potential aspect of future pharmacovigilance. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Monitoring adverse effects of marketed medicines through reporting by healthcare professionals and its challenges and way forward INTRODUCTION: This article highlights the importance of safety monitoring of medicines after they are launched in the market, mainly through reporting by healthcare professionals. We also highlight the strengths and weaknesses, and provide an insight on the future prospects of pharmacovigilance systems. METHODS: Various literature related to the topic were reviewed and the relevant ones highlighting the strengths and weaknesses are summarized. A balance of information on strengths and weaknesses is listed. Health professionals’ awareness regarding existing programs on reporting safety of medicines is highlighted. RESULTS: Though beneficial, reporting of adverse effects by healthcare professionals who deal with patient lacks clarity in diagnosing the adverse effects. Under-reporting and bias are the major challenges. Online software is needed to strengthen reporting by healthcare professionals. We list the various issues to be considered while depending on healthcare professionals’ reporting of adverse effects as a method of post marketing surveillance. CONCLUSION: To strengthen medicine safety monitoring and reporting by healthcare professionals, more awareness among health professionals and innovative strategies are needed. Integrating the genetic data of patients can be beneficial in predicting adverse effects, therefore avoiding them and enhancing safe prescribing and dispensing by healthcare professionals.