No one knows a drug’s side effects like the person taking it and that’s why RxISK.org has been created to provide a place where patients can research, report, and share their stories with others. More patients are now reporting side effects to RxISK than to country regulators.
News release
RxISK.org, the first free independent website for researching and reporting prescription drug side effects, announced today it has had over 2.6 thousand side effects reported by patients since it launched its patient reporting web site last November.
RxISK’s CEO, Dr. David Healy, internationally respected psychiatrist, psychopharmacologist, scientist, and author, says: “my research shows that this is a higher rate of direct patient reporting than for any regulatory agency in the world and puts us well on our way to our goal of 3.65 thousand side effects by the end of our first year. Those interested in the state of direct patient reporting and the gains from encouraging direct reporting might want to read a report by Health Action International which is a survey of 15 countries and a literature review.”
Healy adds: “the most common problems reported to RxISK on the full range of drugs are sexual dysfunction, not nausea and headache which are common side effects to most drugs. Unlike the regulators, we are interested in all side effects, not just those deemed “medically serious”. RxISK will have several stories to post on these over the next few weeks.”
About Data Based Medicine Americas Ltd.
RxISK.org is owned and operated by Data Based Medicine Americas Ltd. (DBM). DBM’s founders have international reputations in early drug-side-effect detection and risk mitigation, pharmacovigilance, and patient-centered care. Although drug side effects are known to be a leading cause of death and disability, less than 5% of serious drug side effects are reported. DBM’s mission is to capture this missing data directly from patients through RxISK’s free drug side effect reporting tool and use this data to help make medicines safer for all of us.
Sally Macgregor says
I think the website and its aims – to capture side effects not elsewhere reported, make correlations and trace drug interactions is just wonderful. I would just like to say though that I find it extraordinarily difficult to use and I wonder if anyone else has the same experience? My main problems are; the name – I can never remember how to spell it – where does the x come? And I’m a reasonably good speller – my husband who is dyslexic doesn’t stand a chance…so, finding the site may be difficult for people.
Secondly, the algorithm for reporting side effects is so, so long – and if you have 2,3 or maybe 10 then it is impossibly tiring. I know you can save and return, but those of us who don’t feel so good, may not have the stamina. I do realise the importance of accurate data, but the site is not very user friendly. So, my side effects, from several drugs, probably won’t end up on your data base, because I can’t get them there. Which is frustrating…..