News FAMHP

During its January 2022 meeting, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a referral of terlipressin medicines. The PRAC also has recommended a change to the product information for Vaxzevria and COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen. The PRAC discussed direct healthcare professional communication (DHPC) containing important safety information for Mavenclad.

During the December 2021 meeting, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has assessed recent data on the known risk of myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccination with COVID-19 vaccines Comirnaty and Spikevax.

During its November 2021 meeting, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has made un update on COVID-19 vaccines and concluded a safety signal for Imbruvica.

During its October 2021 meeting, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a review of meningioma risk with nomegestrol- and chlormadinone-containing medicines. The PRAC also has reviewed data on venous thromboembolism and immune thrombocytopenia with COVID-19 vaccines.

During its August 2021 meeting, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended updating the product information of COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen. Furthermore, the PRAC continues to closely review reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome with Vaxzevria and discussed other safety issues occurring after vaccination against COVID-19.

During its May 2021 meeting, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) reviewed a number of safety signals related to COVID-19 vaccines. The evaluation of safety signals is a routine part of pharmacovigilance and is essential to ensuring that regulatory authorities have a comprehensive knowledge of a medicine’s benefits and risks.

During its April 2021 meeting, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concluded on very rare cases of unusual blood clots with low blood platelets reported with Vaxzevria (formerly COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca) and started reviewing a safety signal of capillary leak syndrome in patients vaccinated Vaxzevria. Furthermore, the PRAC is also investigating thromboembolic events reported following vaccination with COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen.

The FAMHP Medication errors working group has received 112 notifications of proven or potential errors since 2016. Thanks to these notifications, corrective or preventive measures were put in place, in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry. The Agency encourages healthcare professionals and patients to report any actual or potential medication error.

From 1 May 2021, notification of the insertion or removal of implants will become compulsory for the implants listed in the annex to the Royal Decree of 27.09.2020 relating to the Central Traceability Register (RCT in French). This notification was already possible (but not compulsory) for all implants since 2014.

During its meeting of September 2020, the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the revocation of marketing authorisation of ulipristal acetate for uterine fibroids.