Nurse reporting of adverse events caused by medicines.

Even though all drugs are extensively tested before marketing, the need for continuous postmarketing surveillance is now greater than ever. In 2002, 16,176 adverse drug reaction reports were received, of which 67 per cent related to reactions categorised as 'serious'. Nurse reporting of adverse drug reactions has almost doubled in the past year since nurses were officially allowed to participate in the yellow-card scheme for identifying adverse drug reactions (NT Clinical news, 2 December, p7). Nurses, through their close contact with patients, are ideally placed to be a key source of information on adverse drug reactions in the UK's yellow-card scheme.