Lightning Learning: Yellow Card Scheme
STOP!
The Yellow Card scheme is used to report:
Side effects from medicine, vaccine, blood products, herbal and homeopathic treatments.
Medical device adverse incidents.
Side effects or safety of e-cigarettes.
Defective or counterfeit medicine.
FOUR critical pieces of information in your Yellow Card report… 1) Suspect drug. 2) Suspect reaction. 3) Patient details. 4) Reporter details.
MHRA monitors the safety of all healthcare products in the UK to ensure they are acceptably safe for patients and those that use them.
LOOK
Only 10% of serious reactions and between 2% to 4% of non-serious reactions are reported. In 2018, there was a significant decrease in reports from some healthcare professional groups (i.e. hospital doctors).
For established medicines and vaccines you should report all serious suspected ADRs… even if the effect is well recognised. An adverse reaction to a medicine may occur at any time after starting a medicine, even after years of taking it due to delayed effects.
By filling in a Yellow Card you are simply reporting your suspicion.
Any information provided to the YCS is kept safe, secure and confidential.
LEARN
Remember: if in doubt, report a Yellow Card… even if you think someone else may have reported one.
Go to https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk and enter the details of the suspected problem or incident.
There is also a handy smartphone app available 📲 Just search ‘Yellow Card’ in your preferred app store.
For more information…
- Guidance for healthcare workers (GOV.UK)
- Adverse Reactions to Drugs (NICE)
