This week, at the 46th Union World Conference on Lung Health, the USAID-funded SIAPS Program is launching a new tool to improve pharmacovigilance in low- and middle-income countries. Although all medicines undergo rigorous clinical testing prior to being made publicly available, continuing to monitor the safety and effectiveness of medicines in real world settings, also referred to as pharmacovigilance, is critically important to ensure that medicines can be used over a prolonged period of time, in conjunction with other medicines, among new patient populations, and in patients with multiple illnesses.
Low- and middle-income countries however often lack the resources, capacity, and systems required to effectively implement pharmacovigilance activities and rely heavily on passive reporting methods which can underestimate potential medicines use issues.
One common barrier to effective pharmacovigilance is the lack of available data collection and analysis tools for active pharmacovigilance. To help address this challenge, SIAPS developed a web-based application to streamline and simplify the data collection and analysis process, known as the Pharmacovigilance Monitoring System (PViMS).
The only free software of its kind customized for use in low resource settings, PViMS helps clinicians, regulatory authorities, program managers, and other implementing partners collect, analyze, and monitor adverse reactions associated with the use of medicines, including those used to treat tuberculosis. In addition to improving documentation and reporting of adverse drug events, PViMS can also be used to alert program managers to potential problems by flagging medicines use issues for further evaluation.
With PViMS, regulatory authorities, program managers, physicians, and pharmacists have a tool which helps to ensure that the medicines they provide to mothers and their children are not only safe and effective, but also help them attain the best possible health outcomes.
For more information on PViMS, read our brochure , contact our team or, if you’re attending the Union World Conference on Lung Health this week, stop by the Management Sciences for Health booth (#73) for live demonstrations of the tool.
