The HPRA has recently advised on the importance of reporting suspected side-effects as the core message of this year’s #MedSafetyWeek campaign, now in its 10th year. The HPRA is one of 130 partner organisations worldwide taking part in this campaign, which ran from 3–9 November 2025.
The HPRA received almost 8,000 reports of suspected side-effects in 2024. Reports of suspected side-effects are strongly encouraged, as each additional report contributes valuable information that can help ensure the highest standards of safety for everyone.
“When someone takes the time to report a suspected side-effect to the
HPRA, they help strengthen our collective understanding of medicine safety. This helps ensure we can optimise how we manage risks of side-effects and can enhance the benefits of medicines for patients. By raising awareness through #MedSafetyWeek, we want more people to know that their report matters,” said Dr Darren Scully, manager in the HPRA’s medicine safety monitoring department. Suspected side-effects can be reported via the HPRA website: hpra.ie/report.
Common reasons for not reporting suspected side-effects from medicines include not knowing it’s possible, not thinking it matters, or simply forgetting. That’s why the #MedSafetyWeek campaign was founded in 2016 to raise awareness of why, how, and where
to report side-effects. The 2025 tenth anniversary edition was the largest so far, with 130 organisations in 117 countries committed to sharing the #MedSafetyWeek message in more than 60 languages.
“By reporting suspected side-effects, you and I have the power to make medicines safer for everyone. Taking the time to report could help protect someone else. It’s not only doctors, pharmacists,
or regulators; everyone can contribute. That is a core message of this campaign: that we can all play a role in medicines safety,” said Dr Scully.
