Last May, GP revealed details of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA) plans to report suspected adverse drug reaction (ADR) to the Yellow Card Scheme using practice software.
The 1,100 GP practices using SystmOne can now use a Yellow Card reporting feature that interacts directly with the MHRA database. The regulator is working to develop similar features within other software systems.
MHRA Director of Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines Dr June Raine said that integration of Yellow Card reporting into IT systems would save GPs time and allow information to be shared quickly with the MHRA.
'This enables earlier detection of any potential drug safety issues, allowing the MHRA to take prompt action to protect public health,' she said.
Direct reporting has been introduced because there had been under-reporting of adverse drug reactions from GPs under the existing yellow card scheme.
There had been a decline in reporting from GPs in recent years and the new scheme aims to address this, the MHRA said.
