What does pharmacovigilance primarily concern itself with?

Pharmacovigilance primarily concerns itself with the detection and prevention of adverse drug reactions. This field plays a crucial role in monitoring the safety of medications once they are on the market. Its main objective is to identify any harmful effects that might not have been evident during the clinical trials, ensuring that the benefits of a drug outweigh its risks throughout its life cycle.

Through the collection and analysis of data regarding adverse drug reactions, pharmacovigilance helps to provide insights that can lead to better drug formulations, updated usage guidelines, and, in some cases, the withdrawal of medications from the market if they are found to pose significant risks to patients. This proactive approach to drug safety ultimately aims to protect public health by ensuring that medications are used safely and effectively.