Pharmacovigilance in Public Health

Pharmacovigilance in Public Health focuses on the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects related to medicines and vaccines at the population level. Its primary goal is to ensure patient safety and promote the rational use of medical products throughout their lifecycle. Public health pharmacovigilance systems rely on adverse event reporting, surveillance databases, post-marketing studies, and signal detection methods to identify potential safety concerns. This function is especially critical during mass immunization programs, widespread medicine use, and public health emergencies. Pharmacovigilance supports regulatory decision-making, risk communication, and timely interventions such as label changes or product withdrawal. In public health practice, strong pharmacovigilance systems enhance public trust, reduce preventable harm, and improve treatment outcomes. By integrating pharmacovigilance into health systems, public health authorities can safeguard populations, strengthen medicine safety monitoring, and support evidence-based healthcare delivery.