COVID and Drug Safety
The COVID-19 pandemic has surely affected the job market. The upbeat news however for healthcare and related professionals is – it’s shown a sharp increase in the workforce. Let’s look at this from three perspectives.
Increased Remote Job Opportunities
While the big names of the industry – Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson are surely conducting clinical trials and research; numerous CROs and multiple smaller pharmaceutical companies are also investing in research like never before.
Drug safety personnels with their expertise are required at this hour to contribute.
Drug Safety Physician, Medical reviewers can raise the efficiency of the Pharmacovigilance team when managing global compliance as well. To say more crudely – if there were no jobs before in a particular place – it’s being created now!
Increase in Number of Adverse Events
There has been a surplus of Individual Case Safety Reports (spontaneous) and Non Spontaneous reporting due to the surge in Adverse Events or Adverse Drug Reactions. Understanding the benefit- risk profile of the drug and the awareness to always assess the said profile of a drug in case of an adverse event – Drug Safety Professionals are much needed. With the COVID-19 drugs and drug interactions – the data stored right from labelling to case processing will be useful for analyzing the efficacy of newer drugs. Few months back at the start of the pandemic the drug Hydroxychloroquine paired with Azithromycin looked promising. The Pharmacovigilance team helped to assess the benefit- risk profile and test its efficacy only to avoid the Adverse Drug Reactions faced by the public.
Improved Vaccine – Pharmacovigilance Regulation
The Pharmacovigilance team is adapting daily with the newer updates. Anticipating new therapeutic information for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 and with the ongoing influx of clinical and drug safety data along with its real time surveillance has shed light on global regulation and conformity between the Vaccine and Pharmacovigilance department. This implies a need for a more hands-on, efficient approach in the safety workforce and for you to be at right place at the right time.
