PSTU-11 - Pharmacovigilance: Redefining medicine and vaccine safety using technological innovations

Meeting room 1.60
Organised by the FIP Health and Medicines Information Section in collaboration with the FIP Social and Administrative Pharmacy Section, the FIP Industrial Pharmacy Section and the FIP Technology Advisory Group

Chair(s)

Dr Bidhata Khatri, Pharmacovigilance Pharmacist, India and Ms. Christina Cella, ExCo member FIP Hospital Pharmacy Section, Canada

Introduction

The World Health Organization defines pharmacovigilance as “the science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects or any other medicine-/vaccine-related problem”.  

Safety monitoring of medicines and vaccines in common use should be an integral part of clinical practice. An important clinical responsibility of the pharmacist is in the early detection of adverse drug reactions and other drug-related problems, and in monitoring the efficacy of medicines. The pharmacist, as a part of the healthcare team, is a source of both information and critical evaluation of drug information. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an ever-increasing volume of safety issues related to medicines with diverse sources of safety information, more public awareness about the safety of medicinal products, and increased demand for information and responses. As a result, our pharmacovigilance approach has evolved. We must innovate, adopt efficient solutions, and leverage smart technologies to manage patient safety data effectively as well as efficiently.  

Automation, cognitive technologies, artificial intelligence and advanced analytics provide opportunities to transform pharmacovigilance from the process of compiling data and preparing information for regulators to creating a learning system to improve a drug’s risk-benefit profile, and to increase product quality and patient safety. 

 

Programme

 

14:30 – 14:35

Introduction by the chair
14:35 – 14:55

Overview of various technologies used in and for pharmacovigilance 
Mrs Froukje Harkes Idzinga, executive committee member Health and Medicines Information Section, Netherlands

14:55 – 15:15

How individuals and organisations can contribute to the successful implementation and use of technology to improve patient safety 
Ms Christina Cella, Medical Information Specialist, Canada
15:15 – 15:55

Panel discussion
Panellists:

  • Dr Brian Cicali, Assistant professor, University of Florida, FIP SIG Chair, New generation of pharmaceutical scientists, USA
  • Ms. Avanthi Bester, FIP Industrial Pharmacy ExCo member, South Africa
  • Dr Joel Fossouo Tagne, member FIP Technology Advisory Group, Australia
15:55 – 16:00 Closing

Learning objectives

  • To address the latest technologies used in pharmacovigilance and how these influence global drug safety.
  • To define how new technological advancements can help improve adverse event reporting and processing of safety data.
  • To define how individuals and organisations can contribute to the successful implementation and use of technology to improve patient safety.
  • To address the current scenario of pharmacovigilance in Africa and challenges in implementing the latest technologies.

Take home messages

  • Integration of technology is transforming pharmacovigilance and provides new approaches for comprehensive drug safety surveillance.
  • Harnessing the power of technology enhances pharmacovigilance practices and protects patient well-being.