Ministry mandates drug safety officers

ABU DHABI // All drug companies will be required to hire officers monitoring the safety of pharmaceutical products, a senior official at the Ministry of Health said yesterday. Dr Amin al Amiri, the executive director for medical practices and licences, said that among the duties expected to be undertaken by the pharmaceutical vigilance officers are the production of a "detailed yearly report" of drug side effects, as well as a rating of product safety for any new products that have been registered in the preceding six to 12 months.

Products that have been registered for more than three years will require a progress report every two to three years. Each officer must be a doctor, pharmacist, drugs specialist or toxicologist, with practical experience in monitoring updates on the side effects of drugs and following up on clinical studies. hkhalaf@thenational.ae