[Direct reporting by patients of adverse drug reactions in Spain]. / La notificación directa por los pacientes de reacciones adversas a medicamentos en España.

The Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Medicinal Products for Human Use, integrated by regional centers of pharmacovigilance coordinated by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products, is responsible for developing the Program of Spontaneous Reporting of Suspected Adverse Drug Reactions in our country. Although, until now, reports were only requesting to health professionals, the current understanding of the role of patients in the clinical setting and the experience gained in other countries of our environment, have demonstrated the convenience of developing active participation systems to patients in the reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions. In addition, this is taking into account in the new European legislation on pharmacovigilance.

La notificación directa por los pacientes de reacciones adversas a medicamentos en España / Direct reporting by patients of adverse drug reactions in Spain

El Sistema Español de Farmacovigilancia de medicamentos de uso humano, integrado por los centros autonómicos de farmacovigilancia coordinados por la Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios, se encarga del desarrollo en nuestro país del Programa de Notificación Espontánea de Sospechas de Reacciones Adversas a Medicamentos. Aunque hasta ahora se solicitaba la notificación únicamente a los profesionales sanitarios, el entendimiento actual del papel de los pacientes en la relación clínica y la experiencia obtenida ya en otros países de nuestro entorno, han puesto de manifiesto la conveniencia de desarrollar sistemas de participación activa de los pacientes en la notificación de sospechas de reacciones adversas a medicamentos. Así lo recoge además la nueva normativa europea en materia de Farmacovigilancia (AU)

The Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Medicinal Products for Human Use, integrated by regional centers of pharmacovigilance coordinated by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products, is responsible for developing the Program of Spontaneous Reporting of Suspected Adverse Drug Reactions in our country. Although, until now, reports were only requesting to health professionals, the current understanding of the role of patients in the clinical setting and the experience gained in other countries of our environment, have demonstrated the convenience of developing active participation systems to patients in the reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions. In addition, this is taking into account in the new European legislation on pharmacovigilance (AU)

Trends in the pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis in Spain from 2000 to 2008.

AIM: To analyze the time trends in anti-osteoporosis medications consumption in Spain between 2000 and 2008 and the influence on such consumption induced by the Information Sheets related to the safety of menopausal hormone therapy and strontium ranelate published by the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS). METHODS: Purchase data of anti-osteoporosis medications from 2000 to 2008 were obtained from the Spanish Ministry of Health. This information includes the pharmacy sales data of medicinal products reimbursed by the Spanish National Health Service. Anti-osteoporosis medications consumption data were expressed as defined daily dose per 1 000 inhabitants per day in women aged 50 or more. RESULTS: During the study period, anti-osteoporosis medications consumption showed a continuous increase. The greatest increase was observed with bisphosphonates, particularly alendronate and risedronate in their weekly formulations. Strontium ranelate consumption was low but continuously increased and new information concerning its safety in 2007 had no effect on its consumption. The use of menopausal hormone therapy remained stable until 2003, and from then presented a continuous decrease until 2008. Raloxifene utilization increased from 2000 to 2004 and decreased thereafter. Calcitonin utilization decreased uninterruptedly and teriparatide was infrequently used. CONCLUSION: This study reports a marked change in osteoporosis treatment in Spain, which includes an important increase in anti-osteoporosis medication use, particularly of bisphosphonates and a decrease in menopausal hormone therapy use secondary to the new information about their safety.