In November, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) published a report outlining the importance of establishing shared criteria for measuring and managing pharmacovigilance as carried out by health authorities and drug companies. One of its key proposals concerns the need for national regulatory agencies to engage in better dialogue with pharmaceutical companies in the identification of adverse drug reactions. The report calls for increased investment in electronic database systems to streamline this process and improve lesson-sharing between countries.

More specifically, PAHO recommends that companies authorized to commercialize drugs more effectively communicate any adverse effects with potential implications for Public Health, and communicate the benefit-risk profile of drugs with emerging safety problems, to national regulatory authorities. When appropriate, the drug companies should also propose specific actions or measures.

According to PAHO, the study and reporting of new adverse reactions helps to advance knowledge in drug pharmacology. In addition, the agency stresses the need to generate a pharmacological risk communication plan covering all relevant sectors (in both the public and private sphere) to promote the sensible use of drugs.