2. Definition
MedWatch is the Food and Drug Administration’s Safety
Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. MedWatch
is used for reporting an adverse event, founded in 1993
this system of voluntary reporting allows such information to
be shared with the medical community or the general public.
The system includes publicly available databases and online
analysis tools for professionals.
MedWatch also disseminates medical product safety alerts such
as recalls and other clinical safety communications via
its website, email list
3. Reporting Adverse Events to FDA
Industry
ICH E2B electronic standard (clinical safety data
management)
MedWatch form 3500A
Public
MedWatch 3500
MedWatch 3500B
4. Med Watch program goals
Reporting IN
Educate about importance of reporting
Facilitate the reporting
Improve the quality of the reports
Safety Information OUT
Disseminate clinically useful, new safety information to
providers and patients
5. Mission and History
“Protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy,
and security of human ... drugs, biological products, medical
devices, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.”( from
FDA Mission Statement)
Helping the public get the accurate, science-based information
they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health
6. How FDA Evaluates Medical Product Safety
Pre-Market Review and Approval
• FDA does not develop or routinely test products itself
• FDA reviews the results of laboratory, animal, and human
clinical testing done by companies
Post-Market Monitoring for Safety
• Careful review of adverse experiences with products once
they are marketed
7. Reporting In to MedWatch
What, when, how and why to report
What
All clinical medical products
When
If serious and any adverse reaction
How
Online, or mail/fax/phone
Why
Every report can make a difference
8. What is a serious adverse event
1) Death
2) Life-threatening adverse drug experience
3) Inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing
hospitalization (for > 24 hours)
4) Persistent or significant incapacity or substantial
disruption of the ability to conduct normal life functions
9. 5) Congenital anomaly/birth defect
6) Important Medical Event (IME) that may not result in
death, be life threatening, or require hospitalization may
be considered a serious adverse drug experience
10. Forms to reporting to FDA
FORM FDA 3500-Voluentary reporting
For use by healthcare professionals, consumers, and patients.
Submit the completed form using built-in postage-paid mailer,
or fax.
FORM FDA 3500B-Voluentary reporting for consumers
A consumer-friendly version of the 3500 reporting
form. Submit the completed form using address on page 3 of
the form, or fax.
11. FORM FDA 3500A-Mandatory reporting
For use by IND reporters, manufacturers, distributors,
importers, user facilities personnel
Online Reporting Form (Voluntary Reporting)
Report serious adverse events online for human medical
products, including potential and actual product use errors,
product quality problems, and therapeutic
inequivalence/failure. The introductory page features additional
information and instructions.
15. Safety reporting portal
To report adverse events with tobacco products or dietary
supplements online, use the Safety Reporting Portal
Tobacco
If you experience a problem with a tobacco product, such as an
unexpected health or safety issue, report it online using the
Safety Reporting Portal.
Dietary Supplements
Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs,
amino acids, whey protein, creatine, and weight loss pills
16. Radiation-emitting
Products
The radiation emitting
products like medical
devices and radio isotopes
are reported to the FDA by
safety reporting portal
Any accidental radiation
occurrences arising from
the manufacturing, testing,
or use of any product
introduced or intended to be
introduced into commerce
19. Who Should Submit a Safety Report?
Organizations and people in certain professional roles, such as
the following:-
Food Manufacturers, Processors, Packers, and Holders
Researchers
An applicant of an approved drug product or a manufacturer,
distributor or packer listed on the label of any drug product
Drug Manufacturers
Dietary supplement manufacturers, packers, and distributors
20. Others, including healthcare providers, public health
officials, and other professionals, as well as consumers
and concerned citizens, may voluntarily submit reports if
they encounter safety issues with a product and/or
unanticipated harmful effects that they believe are related
to a product.
21. What to Report to FDA MedWatch
Use the MedWatch form to report adverse events that you
observe or suspect for human medical products, including
serious drug side effects, medication errors/product use errors,
product quality problems, and therapeutic failures for:-
Prescription or over-the-counter medicines, as well as
medicines administered to hospital patients or at outpatient
infusion centers
Biologics (including blood components, blood and plasma
derivatives, allergenic, human cells, tissues, and cellular and
tissue-based products (HCT)
22. Medical devices (including in vitro diagnostic products)
Combination products
Special nutritional products
(infant formulas, and medical foods)
Cosmetics
Foods/beverages (including reports of serious allergic
reactions)
23. What Not to Report to FDA MedWatch
Tobacco: Tobacco product problems should be reported to
the Safety Reporting Portal.
Vaccines: Report vaccine events to the Vaccine Adverse
Event Reporting System (VAERS) online
at https://vaers.hhs.gov/esub/index
Investigational (study) drugs: Report investigational
(study) drug adverse events as required in the study
protocol and send to the address and contact person listed
in the study protocol.
24. Mandatory reporting by regulated industry:
Drugs and Biologics
Applicable Regulations
Devices
Reporting on Dietary Supplements
Reporting on Veterinary Medicine Products
Reports FDA Does Not Handle (e.g. CPSC, FTC, State Health
Departments) and Where to Send Them
25. What Happens to Your Report
When you report a serious adverse event
Report captured in a database
Database monitored by an FDA professional
Review of a case series
Consultation with medical review division and manufacturer
Further studies as needed are conducted
26. What Happens to Your Report
When you provide information on a serious ADE
Labeling or Educational Options
Boxed Warning
• Drug-drug, drug-food interaction warnings
• Monitoring recommendations
• Dosage adjustments for sub-populations
Contraindications, Warnings, Precautions or Adverse Reactions
Medication Guide
27. What happens when you report a serious ADE
Special programs
• Prescribing or dispensing limitations
• Laboratory testing documentation
• Registries for a particular product
Product withdrawal or product recall
This depends upon the Adverse event occurred
28. When you report a product quality problem
For problems due to:
• Product design
• Manufacturing quality or distribution/storage
• Counterfeit product
FDA can:
• Work with manufacturer to issue a recall of product
• Request a modification in product design
• Request a modification in manufacturing process
• Improve instructions or warnings for use
29. FDA MedWatch Summary
Understand how the FDA monitors medical product safety
Learn how to voluntarily report adverse events to FDA
Understand how reports are used by the FDA to improve
product safety
Know the methods used by FDA to send new safety
information about medical products to providers at the point of
care