People in Scotland are being encouraged to take part in a national scheme tracking the side effects from taking prescribed medication.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland has made the plea after finding 57% of people surveyed across the country have experienced adverse effects from medicines.

The report, based on survey findings of more than 560 people across Scotland, found 84% of those who had experienced unintended effects from medicines had spoken to a healthcare professional, but only 10% reported it themselves to the national Yellow Card scheme.

It recommends raising awareness of the Yellow Card scheme – run by medicines regulator the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – to improve under-reporting of medicines’ side effects and help new safety issues be identified as early as possible.

Members of the public can report safety issues around any healthcare product to the Yellow Card scheme, including side effects, defective products, and falsified or fake versions.

Laura Fulton, Chief Pharmacist with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said:

“The Yellow Card Scheme collects and monitors information on suspected safety concerns involving healthcare products, of which medicines are a significant contributor. 

“This is extremely important as it flags side effects that previously have not been reported, for example. It is vital to improve our understanding of medicines and safeguard patients.

“I would encourage patients, members of the public and healthcare professionals to proactively utilise the Yellow Card Scheme and report any concern as soon as they can. This will undoubtedly help others both now and in the future.” 

The report also recommends NHS Scotland improve the way it uses data from the Yellow Card Scheme to take action to improve medicines safety.

Professor Simon Maxwell, Medical Director, Yellow Card Centre Scotland, said:

“I am pleased that Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s report recognised the important role that the Yellow Card Scheme has played, and will continue to play, in safeguarding public health in Scotland.  

“Any member of the public can now report, and those reports are making a growing contribution to the Scheme. I welcome the report’s focus on increasing public awareness of the Scheme as a mechanism whereby all citizens can all make a contribution to medicines safety.” 

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