Because all medicines have the potential to cause adverse effects, the safety of prescribed medicines is a central concern for health professionals. The initial decision to resort to pharmacological treatment, the choice of drug, and the management and monitoring of the patient require knowledge of drug-induced disease. Additionally, a wider public health duty exists for the prompt detection of new adverse drug reactions (ADRs).
The first attempt to fully describe the adverse effects of a drug was undertaken by William Withering in his 1785 treatise on digitalis. However, drug withdrawals and safety concerns have continued to occur, illustrated by recent concerns about cardiac events associated rosiglitazone, the possibility of psychiatric illness associated with varenicline and the withdrawal of lumiracoxib due to cases of unpredictable liver failure.
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Cox AR. Assessing, managing and reporting adverse drug reactions may better equip us to minimise medicines-related harm. Pharmacy in Practice 2008;18(2):57-61