Adverse Drug Reaction network

Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are common, often unrecognised and typically under-reported (1).  ADRs add greatly to patient discomfort and contribute a  major, avoidable burden to health care costs (2). The major aims of this network are to improve recognition of ADRs and to improve prevention of avoidable ADRs. Checking accuracy of medicine names, dose and frequency and whether or not patients are currently adherent is an important safety measure, especially when patients move between different parts of the health service and in particular during acute illness (3).

1.  Khong TK, Singer DR. Adverse drug reactions: current issues and strategies for prevention and management. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2002;3:1289-300.
2.  A Spoonful of Sugar: Medicines Management in NHS Hospitals, HNR2623 Audit Commission Publications, December 2001.
3.  NICE Guidance: Technical patient safety solutions for medicines reconciliation on admission of adults to hospital.  December 2007.  Expected review date December 2010.

Specific aims are:

I.    to ensure that doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other health care professionals have a good understanding of:

  • the nature of adverse drug reactions
  • major risk factors for adverse reactions
  • the MHRA Yellow Card Reporting System
  • the West Midlands Centre for Adverse Drug Reactions in Birmingham
  • who can report ADRs in the community and in hospital

              -  Doctors, dentists and patients
              -  Hospital and Community Pharmacists
              -  Nurses, midwives, health visitors

II.    to improve reporting of ADRs

III.    to establish feedback systems about ADRs for  Hospital and Community based Clinicians and other Health Care Professionals

Policy to prevent and reduce severity of adverse drug reactions

  

The success of a policy aimed at preventing adverse drug reactions depends on the involvement of Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses and other Health Care Professionals and patients.

Our initial policy on improved recognition and prevention of ADRs was approved in 2003 by the Assurance and Governance Committee of University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust.

The 2007 Revision of the policy was approved in August 2007 by the Health Standards Board of the University Hospital (UHCW NHS Trust).

The next revision of the policy is due in November 2010.

For more information on our policy, email Professor Donald Singer donald.singer@warwick.ac.uk

How to contact the Warwick ADR network

To find out more about the Warwick ADR network and its policy
 please contact   Professor Donald Singer 

Useful links

UK  Committee on Safety of Medicines   CSM

European Agency for Evaluation of Medicinal Products   EMEA 

USA  Food and Drugs Agency   FDA

Health Canada

Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration   TGA

New Zealand Medsafe

New Zealand Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring  CARM

Sweden, Uppsala  - WHO International Drug Monitoring Programme

 

ADR reports

Prescribing Errors

Clinical Pharmacology

Interactive quiz

Regional members
Arblaster, Gillian Nursing
Barker, Peter  Public Health
Dale, Jeremy Primary Care
Easter, Mark Primary Care Pharmacy
Galloway, Mark Community Pharmacy
Martin, Paul Clinical Governance
Szczepura, Ala Social Science
Singer, Donald Clinical Pharmacology
Stern, Philip Business School
Thorogood, Margaret Public Health & Epidemiology

National members
Cambridge: Bhalla, Narinder
Exeter: Hubbard, Nicholas
London: Tredtree, Roger
London: Tyrrell, Anne
Sunderland: David Miller
Winchester: Hubbard, Nicholas

International members
Chicago: Elliot, William
Halle/Berlin: Willenbrock, Rudolph
Magdeburg:
-  Bode-Böger, Stefanie
Madrid: Ruilope, Luis
Rome: Volpe, Massimo
Vienna: Wolzt, Michael