The First Oman Pharmacovigilance Symposium organized by the Ministry of Health (MOH), represented by the Directorate General of Pharmaceutical Affairs & Drug Control, Department of Pharmacovigilance & Drug Information kicked off today (Wednesday) at Levatio Hotel under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al-Hosni, MOH Undersecretary for Health Affairs.
The two-day symposium aims at exchange information through continuing cooperation between the pharmaceutical stakeholders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, pharmaceutical products marketers and pharmacovigilance officials. In addition to addressing the latest developments and information in this regard, as well as following up and monitoring the drug post-marketing, adverse effects and the quality reports.
Dr. Mohammed bin Hamdan Al-Rubai, Director General of Pharmaceutical Affairs & Drug Control pointed out in his speech that the Symposium seeks to exchange the regional experiences and latest development in the field of pharmaceutical vigilance and safety, discusses the systems updates, examines the mechanisms of implementing the precautionary risk-reduction plans as an effective tool to avoid the adverse effects of drugs and biological preparations.
Al-Rubai added that the National Pharmacovigilance Program in the Sultanate in cooperation with sub-centers of pharmacovigilance seeks to monitor, classify, analyze and surveillance the adverse or negative reactions of the drugs along with enhancing the continues education on drug safety, educating the medical staff and raising the awareness among the community about the drug safety reports.
Participants from the Uppsala Monitoring Center of the World Health Organization (WHO), GCC, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, as well as the focal points of pharmacovigilance system in the directorates general of health systems in the Governorates and referral hospitals are attending the Symposium.
During two-day, the Symposium touches upon the Sultanate's experience on the management of quality problems reports, the pharmacovigilance experience in Jordan, the pharmacovigilance system in pharmaceutical companies, risk management plan and others.
