In the period from 3 to 9 November Montenegro will participate in a special, 10th #MedSafetyWeek campaign. Together with around 130 organisations from 118 countries across the globe, we will remind healthcare professionals and patients of the importance of rational, proper and safe use of medicines.

Medicines save lives and treat millions of people around the world. However, every medicine can have certain adverse reactions that may not manifest in all patients. Recognising and recording such events enable the identification of potential issues related to the use of a particular medicine, as well as undertaking appropriate measures to resolve them. Nevertheless, most adverse reactions to medicines remain unreported, which hinders and delays the response of regulatory authorities and prevention of their further occurrence.

For this reason, every year at the beginning of November, under the organisation of Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC) from Sweden, a global campaign is held with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of monitoring the use of medicines. Rational use of medicines in an appropriate manner, in line with recommendations of healthcare professionals and information provided in the package leaflets, can significantly reduce the number of potential adverse reactions. Therefore, informing and educating the public are of crucial importance for treatment outcomes.  All healthcare professionals, as well as patients, may report suspected adverse reactions to the Institute for Medicines and Medical Devices (CInMED). In such manner they contribute to creating a more comprehensive picture of the safety profile of medicines on the market and making their future use safer for everyone. More information on how to report an adverse reactions is available here.

We invite you to take part in #MedSafetyWeek campaign and to explore a variety of educational materials that will be published throughout the week on CInMED social media channels. Together we can make the use of medicines safer.