FAMHP joins global MedSafetyWeek campaign with the message: ‘Don’t ignore side effects, report them’

Millions of people use medicines to improve their health. However, medicines can cause side effects, sometimes immediately and in other cases only after some time. By using medicines correctly, we can reduce the risk of side effects. And by reporting suspected side effects when they occur, we can help make medicines safer for everyone.

The FAMHP calls on all patients and healthcare professionals to remain alert to all types of side effects and to report them when they occur. These reports provide important information about the safety of medicines and help regulatory authorities such as the FAMHP respond to potential risks. In 2025, 8 730 side effects related to medicines for human use were reported.

The risk of side effects may be higher when you start taking a new medicine, change your dose, or use other medicines, food supplements or certain foods at the same time. Read the package leaflet of your medicine and discuss known side effects with your doctor or pharmacist. Consider whether your symptoms could be a side effect and report them, particularly if they affect your daily life, are serious or are not listed in the package leaflet. You do not need to be certain that the medicine caused the symptom in order to report a suspected side effect.

You can easily report suspected side effects via the website of the FAMHP.

Don’t ignore side effects, report them.

#MedSafetyWeek is an international campaign led by the Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC), the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring. The campaign is supported by the WHO, members of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA), and various national and international organisations committed to medicines safety. The campaign planning team includes representatives from the Uppsala Monitoring Centre, the Colombian Association of Pharmacovigilance (ACFV), the Egyptian chapter of the International Society of Pharmacovigilance (ISoP), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, Philippines), the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA, Ireland) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA, United Kingdom). The FAMHP is taking part in the campaign for the eleventh time.

Communication Division:+32 2 528 40 12 - comm@fagg-afmps.be 
Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products
Avenue Galilée 5/03
1210 BRUSSELS
www.famhp.be