The health of the Caribbean people can be at risk if medicines are not safe, effective and of good quality. Medicines safety and monitoring systems are often limited in the Region, and there has been a call for regional pooling of resources, sharing of information, and coordination of activities, that can lead to stronger systems.

Recently, the Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS) launched VigiCarib, a voluntary regional system for CARICOM states to report adverse drug reactions (ADRs), suspected substandard and falsified products.   The programme will help to protect patients and bolster their confidence in health care, as well as send a signal to manufacturers and distributors that their products are being monitored for safety and quality.

VigiCarib, endorsed by CARICOM Ministers of Health allows health professionals, members of the public, and other stakeholders to report to the CRS for regulatory analysis and action. Through this system, CRS may share information about problematic products with CARICOM states, pool data to identify signals, and make recommendations to governments about regulatory actions. 

The CRS is an initiative of CARICOM and is managed as a regulatory unit by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in close partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO).

For more information about the CRS and VigiCarib visit http://carpha.org/What-We-Do/Laboratory-Services-and-Networks/CRS