With the introduction of new anti-tuberculosis (TB) medicines and novel TB treatment regimens in the Philippines, active pharmacovigilance is needed to ensure that both patient safety and the effectiveness of the treatment are monitored. As an important step in pharmacovigilance implementation, the Philippine Department of Health – Pharmaceutical Division (DOH-PD) has adopted the Pharmacovigilance Monitoring System (PViMS) to streamline data collection and simplify the analysis of medicine safety information. The Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) Program works to improve the availability and quality of information for decision making through the use of electronic tools combined with systems strengthening. PViMS was developed through the USAID-funded SIAPS Program, implemented by Management Sciences for Health.
Through SIAPS, USAID supports the DOH-PD to implement and operationalized PViMS at the central and peripheral levels in the Philippines. PViMS will help the National TB Program ensure patient safety when using new anti-TB medicines and novel TB treatment regimens and determine the real-life frequency, risk factors, and impact of clinically significant adverse medicine events on treatment outcomes. It will also help the Philippines comply with international standards for medicine safety. PViMS will initially be deployed at the central level, followed by 10 facilities that are the first implementers of the standardized shorter TB treatment regimen. Eight regions and all public health facilities delivering TB services in the country will ultimately adopt the technology.
PViMS is also intended to be used by other DOH programs, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, immunization, family planning, maternal and child health, and nutrition, to ensure patient safety for medicines being used in these programs in the Philippines. PViMS can be accessed on the Philippine DOH’s website.
