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The loss of vital health records is a universal problem for refugees. When their medical information goes missing, patients are less likely to receive the care they need and more likely to be prescribed the wrong treatments. Thankfully, the International Society of Pharmacovigilance Egypt Chapter and the Palestine Red Crescent Society are taking on this problem, to reduce medication errors and improve reporting practices.

This episode is part of the Uppsala Reports Long Reads series – the most topical stories from UMC’s pharmacovigilance magazine, brought to you in audio format. Find the original article here.

After the read, we speak to Mohamed Elhawary and Hadir Rostom, who co-authored the article, to learn more about their work and the overall challenge of ensuring medicines safety in vulnerable communities.

Tune in to find out:

• What the most frequent causes of medication errors in refugee communities are
• How electronic health records can help prevent harm to patients 
• Why safety monitoring is crucial when there is a shortage of medicines

Want to know more?

The International Society of Pharmacovigilance runs a Special Interest Group on medication errors to promote the implementation of best safety practices around the world. They also organise a range of networking and training activities for pharmacovigilance professionals on different aspects of medicines safety.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has practical advice for healthcare workers to promote treatment adherence in refugee settings.

Finally, don’t forget to ­subscribe to the monthly Uppsala Reports newsletter for free regular updates from the world of pharmacovigilance.

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