#MedSafetyWeek (2 to 8 November 2026): Don't ignore suspected side effects, report them! Updates to the Yellow Card website and app
The annual #MedSafetyWeek campaign is taking place from 2 to 8 November 2026 to promote the importance of reporting side effects from medicines and medical device incidents. This year's theme is ‘Side effects: don't ignore them, report them!’
Summary
The annual #MedSafetyWeek campaign is taking place from 2 to 8 November 2026 to promote the importance of reporting side effects from medicines and medical device incidents. This year’s theme is ‘Side effects: don’t ignore them, report them!’
The Yellow Card scheme relies on both healthcare professionals and patients reporting any suspected side effects and adverse incidents, allowing the MHRA to identify and monitor potential safety concerns related to medicines, devices, vaccines, blood products and e-cigarettes.
#MedSafetyWeek raises awareness of the Yellow Card scheme and this year’s theme encourages the reporting of side effects and adverse incidents. Yellow Card reporting plays a key role in keeping patients safe and ensures that healthcare products remain effective and safe by helping the MHRA identify new safety issues as early as possible.
Advice for Healthcare Professionals:
You can support the campaign to raise awareness of the Yellow Card scheme by:
- using the new campaign materials on the Yellow Card website, including posters, digital screens, waiting room materials and social media assets, to raise awareness and promote Yellow Card reporting, signposting patients to the Yellow Card website or Yellow Card app
- following MHRA social media channels and sharing content using #MHRAYellowCard, #MedSafetyWeek, #ReportSideEffects and #patientsafety to raise awareness of reporting
- referring to our suite of Yellow Card e-learning modules, including the recently CPD accredited free British Pharmacological Society Assessment (BPSA)
Background
This year is the eleventh annual #MedSafetyWeek social media campaign and it will take place on 2 to 8 November 2026. The theme is ‘side effects - don’t ignore them, report them’. If you think your patient may be experiencing a side effect, do not ignore it— make sure it is reported through the Yellow Card scheme. Every report is valuable.
A Yellow Card is a report of a suspected side effect or safety concern involving a medicine, vaccine or medical device. Reporting is easy and can quickly be done online. Yellow Card reports help the MHRA monitor the safety of healthcare products and take action to protect patients. Reports can be made for suspected side effects from medicines and vaccines, adverse incidents involving medical devices, including software, apps and artificial intelligence, and concerns about defective or falsified products, e-cigarettes, vapes and their refills.
Suspected side effects and adverse incidents involving medicines and medical devices can occur in different ways. Some may appear shortly after treatment starts or stops, while others develop gradually, occur after dose or product changes, or become apparent only after long-term use or interactions with other medicines, foods or herbal products. Some are obvious, while others may be mistaken for common ailments or identified only through investigations or test results. Healthcare professionals are reminded that only a suspicion is needed to submit a Yellow Card report. It is also important to respond to any follow up requests from the MHRA for extra information.
Supporting Yellow Card reporting: Know, Check, Ask and Report.
Healthcare professionals can help patients recognise, discuss and report suspected side effects from medicines and medical device adverse incidents through the Yellow Card scheme by taking the following actions:
Know your medication or medical device
Check you have the right patient, medicine (or device), route, dose and time
Ask your patient if they understand
Report any suspected side effects or adverse incidents and respond to follow up requests
Every report adds to our understanding of the safety of healthcare products and can help protect patients from future harm. If you suspect a side effect or safety concern, don’t ignore it, report it.
Reporting advice
Reporting for medicines
Healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers are asked to submit reports using the Yellow Card scheme electronically using:
- the Yellow Card website.
- the Yellow Card app; download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
- some clinical IT systems for healthcare professionals (EMIS, SystmOne, Vision, MiDatabank, and Ulysses)
Submitting a Yellow Card online only takes a few minutes, and only a suspicion is needed. Please provide as much relevant information as possible, including medical history, concomitant medication, onset timing and treatment dates, as this helps the MHRA assess the report.
Reporting for medical devices
Healthcare professionals should report incidents:
- in England and Wales to the Yellow Card website or via the Yellow Card app
- in Scotland to Incident Reporting & Investigation Centre (IRIC) and their local incident recording system
- in Northern Ireland to the Yellow Card website in accordance with your organisations medical device policies and procedures.
Improvements to the Yellow Card website and app
NHS Login – Integration with NHS login now allows users to create a new Yellow Card scheme account or link an existing Yellow Card scheme account. This provides a simpler login option using existing credentials and reduces the need to remember an additional username and password. It also enables a smoother transition between the NHS login and Yellow Card websites.
Progressive web app (PWA) – The Yellow Card app is now a progressive web app, with additional features including:
- Consistent user experience: The app now mirrors the Yellow Card website to ensure a smooth and uniform experience across all devices.
- Real-time updates: Improvements are available instantly, removing the need for users to download app updates.
- Expanded reporting options: Users can now report issues relating to defective medicines and falsified products directly within the app.
- Improved access to information: Data publications can now be viewed in the app.
- Reduced download size: The PWA format uses significantly less storage space on users’ devices.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) – MFA was introduced to strengthen the security of Yellow Card scheme accounts and further protect reporter and patient information. It adds a security check beyond the standard username and password, helping to prevent unauthorised access.
Further improvements are underway and will be highlighted in future articles.
Download document
Additional information
You can:
- work with local Yellow Card Centres, National Medication Safety Officers and Medical Device Safety Officers to support wider campaign activity.
- see our suite of Yellow Card e-learning modules, including the recently CPD accredited free British Pharmacological Society Assessment (BPSA)
- sign up to receive email notifications for Drug Safety Updates.
- sign up to receive our monthly roundup of safety communications.
- find out more about the Medication Without Harm third WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication Without Harm campaign
- find out more about Yellow Card website and app Technical Developments, Yellow Card NHS login and Multi-Factor Authentication
For any enquiries, please contact info@mhra.gov.uk
Article citation: MHRA Drug Safety Update volume 20, issue 3: October 2026: 3