The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs has issued a statement urging patients taking medication to be vigilant and proactive in reporting any side effects they may experience.
“It is critical for both healthcare professionals and the public to understand how to use medications safely and to recognise potential side effects. More importantly, it is crucial that side effects are reported promptly to healthcare providers,” says Chief Pharmacist, Astrid Mondesir.
According to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom, licensed medicines undergo a series of clinical trials.
However, different patients may respond differently to the same medicine, and rarer side effects may only become apparent once a medicine is used by a larger population under everyday conditions.
Saint Lucia’s Health Professionals utilise the VigiCarib system—a tool used across the Caribbean region—to manage the reporting of negative drug effects.
“This platform is a vital resource for both healthcare professionals and patients. By encouraging individuals to report their experiences, we can gather important data that enhances our understanding of medication safety,” the Chief Pharmacist emphasised.
The Ministry is advocating for a collective approach to create an environment where reporting side effects becomes the norm.
Healthcare professionals, for example, are encouraged to actively inform patients about the importance of reporting any side effects.
“Your guidance can empower patients to take an active role in their healthcare and contribute to our collective knowledge on the use of medications,”Mondesir says.
The public is also encouraged to report any side effects from medications to pharmacists and physicians, as this can help improve medication safety for everyone.
Individuals are also advised to take extra precautions by using medicines adequately and as intended.
This initiative by the Ministry of Health to raise awareness about the safe use of medication is part of its observance of the 9th annual #MedSafetyWeek, an international social media campaign organized by the Uppsala Monitoring Centre.
This year, Medicine Safety Week runs from November 4 to 10, under the theme “the importance of using medicines in the right way to prevent side effects, and to report side effects when they do occur.”
