The 2011–2020 Trends of Data-Driven Approaches in Medical Informatics for Active Pharmacovigilance

The International Working Group on New Developments in Pharmacovigilance: Advancing Methods and Communication in Pharmacovigilance

PURPOSE

In 2019, the International Working Group (IWG), focusing on New Developments in Pharmacovigilance, was established. This group is coordinated by the Drug Safety Research Unit in the United Kingdom, and the mission of the IWG is to progress pharmacovigilance methodologies and promote the safe and effective use of medicines and vaccines, thereby further protecting patients. Novel therapeutics are continuously being developed to alleviate medical conditions, but with advancing technologies, innovative pharmacovigilance methodologies need to be developed to effectively monitor the use and safety of these products. With reduced timelines proposed for premarketing clinical trials and increased application of real-world evidence supporting regulatory approvals, products may be used in real-world clinical practice in shorter timeframes than before. Therefore, the need for effective methods of monitoring medicines and collecting safety data in real-time is of paramount importance to public health.

METHODS

The IWG aims to advance existing methodologies used in the detection, monitoring, and analysis of safety data in pharmacovigilance and to communicate best practice proposals to support decision making in health care. The IWG will identify areas requiring review of current processes or methodologic research and will communicate the output of the IWG through peer-reviewed publications, reports, and presentation of findings at relevant conferences and scientific meetings.

FINDINGS

The IWG is currently reviewing two areas in pharmacovigilance; case-level causality assessment and the strengths and limitations of data sources. The IWG is advancing these areas by producing two scoping reviews which will be easily accessible to regulatory agencies, industry, academia, and interested persons or organizations.

IMPLICATIONS

The scoping reviews comply with the IWGs mission to progress pharmacovigilance methodologies and promote the safe and effective use of medicines and vaccines. The present article shares details of the objectives of the IWG and provides an overview on the status of IWG activities.

Geriatrics on beers criteria medications at risk of adverse drug events using real-world data

OBJECTIVES

The established Beers Criteria consider side effects and safety concerns when prescribing drugs to the elderly. As the criteria suggest that attention should be paid toward prescriptions rather than prescription prohibition lists, these Beers Criteria medications (BCMs) are used appropriately under unavoidable circumstances.

METHODS

Patients aged ≥ 65 years and with an experience of being prescribed inappropriate medications at Konyang University Hospital, South Korea, were selected. We analyzed data from the Korea Adverse Event Reporting System (KAERS) and the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) of the United States to identify medication-induced adverse drug events (ADEs). The actual incidence was predicted by multiplying the incidence and number of BCMs prescribed to the patients. The proportional reporting ratio (PRR) and reporting odds ratio (ROR) were calculated using KAERS and FAERS data.

RESULTS

We predicted that the incidence of ADEs would be higher for metoclopramide, chlorpheniramine, and amitriptyline in patients using medications for more than 1 day and metoclopramide, chlorpheniramine, and ketoprofen in patients using medications only for 1 day. Among the ADEs reported to KAERS and FAERS, significant ROR and PRR values were noted for clonazepam (drowsiness), nortriptyline (sleepiness), and zolpidem (amnesia, somnambulism, agitation, dependence, nightmare, and dysgeusia).

CONCLUSION

This study highlighted the actual status of BCM prescriptions in clinical institutions and predicted the incidence of ADEs. We concluded that greater care must be taken while prescribing BCMs to the elderly and indicators, such as PRR and ROR should be monitored regularly.