There is a site to put this on somewhat of an auto pilot system. I posted about this service originally about a year ago, but if you want the updates via email and want the latest without having to remember to check the FDA page, this could be a help. The Texas Medical Association has endorsed it as well. The Wall Street Journal has also published some recent press. If the email notification is not opened, you will be sent notification by snail mail, US Mail.
You can also designate staff members to receive alerts once an account has been set up. This might just make it a little easier to keep up with the announcements versus going to the FDA site daily. This is a non profit organization and when alerts are issued, you receive them immediately. BD
The Physicians and their staff are eligible to join the HCNN, however only physicians can be primary account holders with the HCNN. Physicians can invite up to three other email addresses onto their account. As an example you may designate a staff person to receive emails in order to help disseminate FDA Alerts throughout the practice.
On Friday 5th September, in line with new legislation introduced last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted the first of its quarterly reports on the drugs it is investigating for safety reasons because of post marketing adverse events reports it has received from patients and doctors.
- You can designate practice staff to receive copies of the HCNN alerts automatically.
- Your privacy is protected by the not-for-profit board that governs the HCNN.
- There is no advertising or spam.
- Your data from the network will not be sold or shared.
- You can opt out at any time.
- The HCNN is free to physicians and paid for by those who use the network for alert delivery, the manufacturers, and the FDA.
- If you do not open the e-alert, you will receive a paper alert via U.S. mail.
This seems like a great service but I wonder the motive to only offer it to physicians? As a pharmacist in a medical center I am in a much better situation to monitor all of the patients for possible adverse events of interest but I guess I can't get an email of the notices. It doesn't make much sense to me.
ReplyDeleteYou can get an email, but I don't believe it may be as specific or immediate as the physician accounts. They need the warnings for devices and anything else the FDA rolls out almost immediately. Patients see it one day on the web or TV and ask the next or same day!
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