What is the Yellow Card Scheme?
Created in 1964, the Yellow Card Scheme (YCS) is a key cog in the UK’s
pharmacovigilance jobs operation. It was established to monitor the safety of
recently produced medicines and is now overseen by the Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Reporting to the Yellow Card
Scheme (YCS) is vital in helping monitor the safety of all medicines and
medical devices in the UK to ensure they are entirely safe for patients and
those that use them. More recently, the YCS has been a key factor in
reporting the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine.
How Does a Yellow Card Work?
By garnering data and advice from leading pharmacists, healthcare
professionals, and the public, the YCS serves as a proactive detective
system for suspected adverse drug reactions. Since it was created, Yellow
Card reporting has been crucial to identifying a range of vital safety
issues, including:
- Adverse drug reactions and drug side effects
- Medical device adverse incidents – injury or risk of injury from a
medical device
- Defective medicines and quality issues
- Suspected counterfeit medicines or medical devices
- Unclear instructions for use or markings and labelling problems that
may affect the safety of a medicine or device
Are all Medicines and Medical Devices Covered by the Yellow Card Scheme?
In the UK, all medicines are covered by the Yellow Card Scheme. Suspected
adverse drug reactions that are associated with misuse, overdose,
medication errors and more are reportable to the YCS.
The YCS also covers radiographic treatments, herbal medicines and remedies,
and medical devices used in healthcare for the diagnosis, prevention,
monitoring or treatment of illness. Additionally, any safety concerns
associated with e-cigarettes and their associated accessories are covered
by the Yellow Card Scheme.
It is important for patients, carers and all healthcare professionals, to
report their suspicions of medicine or a device to the Yellow Card Scheme
as soon as possible.
Who can Submit a Yellow Card Report?
Anyone can report a Yellow Card, from healthcare professionals to members
of the public. Cooperation from all members of society is an important
aspect of the success of the YCS and it’s imperative that even the smallest
problem is reported. You can report a suspected issue to the YCS at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard
or you can download the Yellow Card app.
Take Control of Your Life Sciences Career
Are you looking to take the next step in your life sciences career or looking for pharmacovigilance jobs? Well at
QCS Staffing, we put candidate care first, meaning that we take the time to find
out what you’re looking for in your next role.
Life sciences is one of the most dynamic and agile industries. New trends
are shaping workforces and operations, making it one of the most exciting
and fast-paced environments to work in.
No matter how many years of experience you have in life sciences, or if you
have a background in an alternative industry, we can help. So, whether
you’re looking for your next job in Europe, Asia or North America, we have
plenty of fantastic roles for you to choose from. Explore our
life sciences jobs
and find out where your next career move could take you.
