Belize Joins Global Drug Safety Monitoring Program

Belize has attained full membership in the World Health Organization’s Programme for International Drug Monitoring, strengthening the country’s access to global information on medicine safety.  The Ministry of Health and Wellness announced the development today, saying it recognizes progress made in strengthening Belize’s national  pharmacovigilance system and its capacity to identify and respond to safety concerns involving medicines.  A key requirement was the successful connection of Belize’s national reporting systems to the WHO’s global database for adverse-event reports. This was achieved through collaboration between the Ministry’s Drug Inspectorate Unit and Maternal and Child Health Unit.  The membership will allow Belize to contribute national safety data to international monitoring efforts while gaining access to information from other participating countries. According to the Ministry, this could assist local health authorities in identifying possible risks and responding to medicine-related safety concerns.  The Ministry credited the healthcare professionals and technical teams involved in the process. It also acknowledged the Pan American Health Organization and the Uppsala Monitoring Centre for providing technical support.