The Yellow Card Scheme is the UK system for collecting information on suspected adverse drug reactions to medicines. The scheme allows the safety of the medicines and vaccines that are on the market to be monitored. The Scheme was founded in 1964 after the thalidomide disaster, and was developed by Bill Inman. It is run by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Commission on Human Medicines. It was extended to hospital pharmacists in 1997, and to community pharmacists in 1999. Suspected adverse reactions are collected on all licensed medicines and vaccines, from those issued on prescription to medicines bought over the counter from a pharmacist or supermarket. The Scheme also includes all herbal preparations and unlicensed medicines. Adverse reactions can be reported by anyone; this is usually done by healthcare professionals – including doctors, pharmacists and nurses – but patients and carers can also make reports. The sort of adverse reactions that should be reported are:
those that have caused death or a serious illness
Any adverse reaction, however minor, if associated with a new medicine or one that is under continued monitoring
Any adverse reaction, however minor, if associated with a child or in pregnancy
Yellow Cards are available from pharmacies and a few are presented near the back of the BNF as tear-off pages, copies may also be obtained by telephoning +44 808 100 3352. The scheme provides forms that allow members of the public to report suspected side effects, as well as health professionals. The NHS Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care has issued an information standard for electronic submission of adverse reactions by IT systems. This is based upon the ICS E2B international standard. In July 2015 a Yellow Cardsmartphone app was launched for iOS and Android, allowing patients, carers and healthcare workers to report adverse reactions to medications, as well as enabling them to set up alerts for news on particular drugs and find out how many Yellow Cards a medicine has received. The Yellow Card Centre Scotland is a joint venture between MHRA and the Scottish Government.
