The strategies used in the United Kingdom for postmarketing surveillance of medicine are discussed. A spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting scheme provides early warning of possible drug hazard, while a number of different information sources and methodologies may be applied to confirm or refute the signals of potential hazard. The importance of rapid and effective communication of drug safety concerns to health professionals is emphasised, as is the need for improved international collaboration in the identification and investigation of the adverse effects of medicines.
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