Safety Public Assessment Reports
These reports explain our assessment of the scientific evidence used to lead to regulatory decisions on the safety of medicines or medicines classes.
Latest change: Updated to add 'Review of risk minimisation for disabling and potentially long-lasting/irreversible side effects associated with fluoroquinolone antibiotics', 'Improving information supplied with Gabapentinoids (Pregabalin/Gabapentin), Benzodiazepines and Z-Drugs', and 'Review of the impact of recommendations for the prescribing of isotretinoin'
AI Summary
This document outlines the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) framework for Safety Public Assessment Reports (PARs), which summarize national-level safety assessments conducted by the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM). Rather than focusing on a single company, the document provides a comprehensive overview of safety reviews and regulatory actions across the pharmaceutical industry between 2006 and 2026. Major safety issues identified in these reports include neurodevelopmental risks associated with Valproate, addiction potential in opioid-based medications like Codeine, and severe side effects linked to fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The regulatory framework emphasizes that while pre-2012 assessments were primarily national, post-2012 issues are often handled at the EU level via the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Required actions following these assessments typically involve significant updates to prescribing information, the implementation of risk minimization strategies, and the reclassification of medicines—such as transitioning Codeine Linctus to prescription-only status. These reports function as evidence-based snapshots of regulatory decisions at specific points in time to improve public transparency and drug safety management.
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