THE RELATION BETWEEN PHARMACOVIGILANCE AND THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF DRUGS: CONSEQUENCES AND IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH

Abstract

Introduction: Pharmacovigilance is an instrument used to identify, examine and monitor the occurrence of adverse events related to drugs used by patients after registration. However, failures in the post-marketing drug monitoring process may have consequences for human health. Objective: To relate pharmacovigilance and adverse drug effects to verify the consequences to human health, identifying possible flaws in the process of reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs), through a survey of articles carried out in databases. Methodology: An Integrative Literature Review was carried out in the Virtual Health Library (BVS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo) and Web of Science databases, using Health Sciences Descriptors and their combinations in Portuguese and English: “Pharmacovigilance”, “Adverse Effects”, “Side Effects and Adverse Reactions Related to Medications” and “Side Effects and Adverse Reactions Associated with Medications” to obtain articles that portray the theme. Results: Although the importance of applying pharmacovigilance knowledge in health services is known, the curriculum of this science is not properly updated. Most undergraduates in the health area consider ADR reporting to be relevant, but do not have enough knowledge to do so. ADRs cause great inconvenience to patients, as demonstrated by the fact that they are the fifth most common cause of death. In developed countries, the review of medications used at home by pharmacists was able to recognize the occurrence of ADRs; the age group with the highest frequency of ADRs was 60 years or older. Conclusion: The lack of knowledge about pharmacovigilance and ADR reporting systems favors their occurrence and harms human health. Some actions, such as the implementation of educational practices and algorithms aimed at health professionals, can help to reduce cases of underreporting.