Impact and Credibility of the Who Adverse Reaction Signals

The WHO Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring in Uppsala, Sweden holds the largest database of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the world. Today, 45 countries worldwide participate in the WHO drug monitoring program. Since 1968 approximately 1.4 million reports have been collected. These reports are used as the basis for the publication of SIGNAL in which new associations are brought to the attention of the national pharmacovigilance agencies. The center recently undertook an evaluation of the impact of the publication on the regulatory and other decisions of member and associate member countries and into the credibility of the signals produced. The results suggest that the center's activities have a useful and positive impact on many countries' activities, and that SIGNAL brings up new associations which are often simultaneously or subsequently supported in the medical literature.