Patients to report side effects directly to EMEA

Dr Isabelle Moulon presented the European Medicines Agency, EMEA, work to actively involve patients in their work. Dr Isabelle Moulon from the European Medicines Agency explained at the European Multiple Sclerosis Plattform seminar that the benefits from their work to activly involve patients in their decisions is that patients bring input about “ real life implications”.

Something EMEA now are trying to take a step further than just having representatives in various committees and the management board. Ie they are now looking into establish a possibility for patients to report side effects from usage of medicines directly to the national competent authorities (national medicines agencies like Afssaps in France, MHRA in the UK, Bfarm in Germany, Läkemedelsverket in Sweden).

Already today there is 2 observers from the patients associations in the Pharmacovigliance working party– a working party that with up-coming new legislation could become a recognized committee.

Lets hope they succeed – its about time that side effects can be reported directly by those using them to the authority directly responsible for allowing medicines to be sold. Find more on EMEA´s other efforts to involve patients here then you can find the 2009 Workplan of the EMEA patients' and Consumers' Working Party here.