[1] The Pharmacovigilance Unit at the VMD monitors adverse events;[2] the monitoring carried out by this unit was previously known as the Suspect Adverse Reaction Surveillance Scheme, and is similar to the Yellow Card Scheme of pharmacovigilance for human medicine.
The Pharmacovigilance Unit gathers information about suspected adverse events to veterinary medicines in both animals and humans, including suspected lack of expected efficacy, environmental problems, residues in foodstuffs.
All SAEs (to animals and humans) should be reported by veterinary surgeons as this is considered good professional conduct (RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct).
Hard copies of the reporting forms can also be requested from the VMD or downloaded and printed from the website.
Where the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs considers, as a result of the evaluation of veterinary pharmacovigilance data that there is a significant safety concern, the marketing authorisation may be suspended, revoked or varied to restrict the indications, change the distribution category, amend the dose, add a contraindication, or add a new precautionary measure.