ABPI Website
Improving the UK's attractiveness for industry research, development & manufacturing
Pharmacovigilance
Key national and international partnerships

Key partnerships

Report suspected side effects to medicines, vaccines, e-cigarettes, medical device incidents, defective or falsified (fake) products to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Regulation

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the agency responsible in the United Kingdom for the development and maintenance of the regulatory environment concerning medicinal products, vaccines and medical devices. The MHRA is, in fact, the body responsible for the authorisation of medicinal products and for monitoring that the quality and safety of these products are kept at high standards throughout their lifecycle. The ABPI collaborates closely with the MHRA on research, development and promotion of quality and safe use of medicines and vaccines

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

NHS

Both ABPI and NHS have at the core of their mission the enhancement of patients’ wellbeing through facilitating medicines access without compromising on the protection of the public health and patients’ safety.

We are also supporting Health Data Research UK and the NHS in the establishment of health data research hubs that will improve the speed and efficiency of clinical studies, and allow the evaluation of innovative treatments on care pathways, as recommended in the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy.

Independent safety review

Patient’s safety was the central focus of the 2018 independent safety review for medicines and medical devices, commissioned by the former Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt. This review was asked to investigate what had happened in respect of two medications and one medical device.

Read the review

Government

Following the publication in 2020 of the Baroness Cumberlege’s review, the new Patient Safety Commissioner for England, Dr Henrietta Hughes, was appointed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

The independent commissioner will act as a champion for patients and lead a drive to improve the safety of medicines and medical devices.

Dr Hughes commitment is to improve how the healthcare system listens to patients; she will be an independent point of contact for patients, giving a voice to their concerns.

Dr Hughes will work in close collaboration with both the NHS and government to better understand how to promote the patients’ safety and ensure that the views of patients and other members of the public is taken into consideration.

International organisations

Other important organisations, involved in the improvement of the general public health and management of the public health systems worldwide are:

World Health Organisation (WHO)

Go to the WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO) website

WHO is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable – so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health.

Uppsala Monitoring Centre

Go to the Uppsala Monitoring Centre website

Uppsala Monitoring Centre is independent, non-profit foundation, we work with the World Health Organization and engage stakeholders who share our vision of advancing medicines safety together with the global pharmacovigilance community.