[Drug information and prescription guidance: role of regional centers of pharmacovigilance].

MISSIONS: Drug information is one of the missions of the French Regional Pharmaco-Vigilance Centers together with the evaluation of adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports, expertise, teaching and research. SERVICES: Physicians and other health professionals call their regional center (the address and phone numbers are on the first pages of the Vidal, the French national drug compendium) for any kind of information pertaining to adverse drug reactions or proper use of drugs such as drug use in pregnancy or lactation. RELIABILITY: This information activity is successful because of the competence and impartiality of the regional centers which are based in university hospitals under an agreement signed with the French Medicines Agency.