What does the term “pharmacovigilance” refer to?

Pharmacovigilance is a critical component of drug safety management and focuses on the monitoring of adverse effects associated with pharmaceutical products after they have been released to the market. Its primary objective is to detect, assess, understand, and prevent any adverse effects or any other drug-related problems. This involves collecting and analyzing data from various sources, including clinical trials, post-marketing studies, and reports from healthcare providers, to ensure that medications are used safely and effectively.

Through pharmacovigilance, regulatory agencies can take appropriate actions when risks are identified, such as updating labeling, modifying prescription guidelines, or even withdrawing a drug from the market if necessary. Ultimately, proper pharmacovigilance practices help protect public health by ensuring that the benefits of pharmaceutical products outweigh their risks.

Other options do not align with the definition of pharmacovigilance. While promotion of pharmaceutical products and quality control in manufacturing are important aspects of the pharmaceutical industry, they do not pertain to the monitoring and assessment of drug safety post-marketing. Similarly, developing new pharmaceutical compounds is more focused on the research and development stage rather than ongoing monitoring of existing products.