Adverse drug reaction

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An adverse drug reaction (abbreviated ADR) is a term to describe the unwanted, negative consequences sometimes associated with the use of different medications. ADR is a particular type of adverse effect. The term is preferred over the colloquial and imprecise "side effect", as the term "side effect" implies the potential for beneficial consequences, and that the effects are not explained by the pharmacological actions of the drug. The focused study of ADRs is the concern of the field known as pharmacovigilance.

While ADR is probably the most precise term to describe the concept, it is not widely used in the community since it may be perceived as jargon and because of the negative-associations with the term "drug". Alternative terms with equivalent meaning to ADR include: side effect, adverse event, adverse effect, etc.

There are many types of ADRs:

• Type A, pharmacologically predictable
• Type B, bizarre and unpredictable
• Type C, arising from chronic use
• Type D, delayed reaction
• Type E, end of dose reaction
• Type F, Failure of therapy

[edit] Regulatory authorities and guidelines

• The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics
• European Medicines Agency (EMEA)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan)
• Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO)
• CIOMS Guidelines
• Pharmacovigilance
• EudraVigilance (European Union)
• Yellow Card Scheme (UK)

[edit] See also

• Adverse effect (medicine) parent concept
• Contraindication
• Drug interaction
• Drug intolerance
• Evidence-based medicine
• Iatrogenesis
• Medical algorithm
• Medical prescription
• Nocebo
• Patient safety
• Paradoxical reaction
• Placebo (origins of technical term)
• Polypharmacy
• Responsible drug use
• SSRI discontinuation syndrome
• Toxicology