Home / Health / Scots Urged to Report Medication Side Effects Through Yellow Card Scheme
Scots Urged to Report Medication Side Effects Through Yellow Card Scheme
7 Aug
Summary
- Only 10% of Scots report adverse drug effects to Yellow Card scheme
- 57% of surveyed Scots experienced side effects from medications
- Scheme aims to improve understanding of medicines and safeguard patients
According to a report published on 2025-08-07, Scotland's Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) is urging the public to participate in the Yellow Card scheme, which tracks the side effects of medications. The call comes after a study revealed that only 10% of Scots who experience adverse effects from prescribed medicines are reporting them through the scheme.
The report, based on a survey of 560 individuals across Scotland, found that around 57% of respondents had experienced a side effect or unintended effect from a medicine. However, of those who had experienced side effects, only 10% had reported it through the Yellow Card scheme, run by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
HIS chief pharmacist Laura Fulton emphasized the importance of the scheme, stating that it helps flag side effects that may not have been previously reported, which is vital for improving the understanding of medicines and safeguarding patients. Fulton encouraged patients, the public, and healthcare professionals to proactively utilize the Yellow Card scheme to report any concerns.
Professor Simon Maxwell, medical director of the Yellow Card Centre Scotland, welcomed the report's focus on increasing public awareness of the scheme, noting that while it was originally restricted to medical professionals, any member of the public can now contribute to medicines safety through the program.
