NAFDAC urges rational use of medicines, stronger pharmacovigilance for patients safety

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has underscored the critical need for the rational use of medicines and enhanced pharmacovigilance systems to bolster patient safety. This emphasis was made during a sensitization program for community stakeholders in Lagos State, Nigeria.

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Rational use of medicine is when a patient uses a medication appropriately in line with their clinical needs, in the correct doses, for an adequate duration, and at the lowest possible cost to both the patient and the community.

NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Uchenna Elemuwa, NAFDAC Director of Pharmacovigilance, stated that the program's theme, "Rational Use of Medicines: Strengthening Pharmacovigilance for Patient Safety Public Health," highlights a fundamental pillar of effective healthcare. She warned that the inappropriate use of medications can lead to severe health consequences, including treatment failure, adverse drug reactions, prolonged illness, and preventable deaths.

Adeyeye defined the rational use of medicine as appropriate utilization based on clinical needs, correct dosages, adequate duration, and minimal cost to both patients and the community. She specifically cautioned against practices such as self-medication, the misuse of antibiotics, polypharmacy (using multiple medications concurrently), incorrect dosing, non-adherence to prescribed treatments, the use of counterfeit medicines, and sharing medications among family members, all of which pose significant dangers to public health.

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Self-medication, misuse of antibiotics, polypharmacy, incorrect dosing, failure to adhere to prescribed treatments, use of counterfeit medicines and sharing medicines among family members pose dangers to public health.

The growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), identified as one of the greatest threats to global health, is directly linked to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. Pharmacovigilance plays a crucial role in combating these issues by detecting, assessing, understanding, and preventing adverse effects and other medicine-related problems. Adeyeye noted that no medicine is entirely free from side effects, and effective pharmacovigilance systems enable early identification and reporting of harmful reactions for regulatory action.

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Rational use of medication is critical and that is why we are strongly against unhealthy practices that contribute significantly to treatment failure, adverse drug reactions, prolonged illness, and preventable deaths.

NAFDAC has been actively strengthening its post-marketing surveillance, safety monitoring, adverse drug reaction reporting, risk communication, and public sensitization efforts. Adeyeye urged healthcare professionals and the public to actively report adverse drug reactions, emphasizing that even a single report can save numerous lives. The agency also called for collaborative efforts to improve rational medicine use and pharmacovigilance through continuous education for healthcare workers and public awareness campaigns against self-medication.

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No medicine is completely free from side effects.