”Help us make medicine better for all” is the message of a new campaign from the Danish Medicines Agency. Via Danish pharmacies, it focuses on how medicine users can report side effects from their medicine.
Too few know that they can report side effects themselves
”Consumers have been able to report side effects to the Danish Medicines Agency since 2003”, says Karina Markersen, Head of the Danish Medicines Agency’s Consumer Safety Division.
And although the number of reported side effects from medicine users and relatives increases every year, this option is still known by far too few. That is why the Danish Medicines Agency launches a campaign at the Danish pharmacies in weeks 21 and 22.
”The pharmacies are a good and important link to medicine users, as they – more often than physicians – are in contact with medicine users”, says Karina Markersen.
Especially serious and unexpected side effects placed higher on the agenda
The Danish Medicines Agency gladly receives all notifications of suspected side effects from medicine, but the overall aim of the campaign is that especially serious and unexpected side effects must be higher on the agenda. The Danish Medicines Agency is therefore particularly interested in side effects not listed in the package leaflet that comes with a medicine.
The campaign ”Report a side effect – and help make medicine better for others” is part of the Danish Minister for the Interior and Health’s action plan that is to improve the system for reporting of side effects.
If you have any questions about the campaign, please contact Head of Department Karina Markersen at kma@dkma.dk or +45 4488 9671.
Danish Medicines Agency, 25 May 2010
