Defining pharmacovigilance and drug safety
Pharmacovigilance, also known as drug safety, is a crucial
component of the life
science industry , dedicated to the monitoring and evaluation of the safety
of medications post-marketing.
With the complexity of drug development always on a rise,
the need for effective pharmacovigilance has never been more essential.
The importance of Pharmacovigilance in the life sciences
industry
Pharmacovigilance systems actively monitor and collect data
reported by healthcare professionals and patients. Without these systems, adverse drug reactions (ADR’s) would likely be delayed or missing entirely, which would
higher the number of people experiencing problems from medication.
Within the life science industry, it is very important to
have a pharmacovigilance system in place to encourage both health care
professionals and patients to report suspected problems. This helps broaden the
knowledge of potential side effects and risks of the product, which is vital
knowledge for the protection of users. Without this data, regulatory
decision-making would be less informed, potentially leading to delays in taking
necessary measures to protect public health.
What skills and experience do I need?
Pharmacovigilance has a very straightforward career path
with the potential to work in both permanent and contracting capacities. Similar
to most life science roles, the general academic requirement for pharmacovigilance
vacancies are successful graduates with a pharmacy, medical or life science
qualification.
What are the career opportunities
within Pharmacovigilance?
If you have the required pharmacovigilance skills and you also have experience in the following sectors of the
pharmaceutical industry, you will likely be sought after for both contract and
permanent pharmacovigilance roles now and
into the future:
- Senior/Drug Safety Associate
- Drug Safety Coordinator
- Pharmacovigilance Officer
- Senior Pharmacovigilance Scientist
- Associate Director
