Vigicare: Side effects

When people are ill, medical treatment often seems to be the most obvious solution. However, taking medicines is not always without consequences and can lead to adverse reactions that can sometimes have a significant impact on health and quality of life. These reactions can sometimes alter the daily life of patients and therefore require special attention from health professionals.

Let's take a look at what an "adverse reaction" is, and why it is crucial for patients and health professionals to be aware of them and monitor them carefully.

What is an adverse reaction?

An adverse reaction is defined as any "noxious and unintended response to a drug or health product", including blood-derived drugs and recombinant analogues. This adverse reaction may be caused by normal use, misuse or medication error. They may also be due to drug interactions, individual intolerances, or prescription or dosage errors.

Are there different types of side effects?

There are two main types of side effects: expected side effects, often called "side effects", are those found in the patient information leaflet. Unexpected side effects are events that are not described in the package insert. Side effects are listed and classified into different categories. A side effect is considered serious when it leads to a serious outcome:

• hospitalization

• an extension of the hospital stay

• a vital risk.

What are the consequences?

In general, side effects can have real consequences and lead to complications for the patient and even be life-threatening. They are often a barrier to continued treatment and can have a significant impact on the patient's general health.

According to a study by the World Health Organisation (WHO), at least 60% of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are avoidable and are due to self-medication, a dosage error or an error in indication, poor compliance or the use of poor quality or counterfeit medicines. The ANSM also states that 10 to 20% of adverse drug reactions lead to hospitalisation, of which almost two thirds could have been avoided. The patients most at risk are the elderly and patients with chronic diseases.

What monitoring system?

Because of their possible consequences, adverse reactions are closely monitored by the health authorities and health professionals. Health professionals are required to report any suspected drug-related adverse reaction to the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM). Once reported, the ANSM collects this information and uses it to improve the safety of medicines and reduce the risk of adverse reactions for patients.

In order to make it easier for everyone to monitor and report adverse reactions to health products and to improve the safety of their use, we have developed the Vigicare application. Our application allows health professionals and patients to check whether there is a link between the occurrence of adverse reactions and the use of a health product. In order to improve the monitoring of adverse reactions, the application also allows you to quickly report your symptoms to the health authorities. If you want to know more, click here!