Adverse drug reactions result in 250 000 UK admissions a year.

The article discusses a report by the British Medical Association which found that more than a quarter of a million people are admitted to hospitals in Great Britain as a result of adverse effects after taking drugs. The study found that the drugs most often involved in the cases were aspirin, diuretics, warfarin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. In Great Britain, adverse effects must be reported to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, but the scheme is voluntary and the number of reported cases has not changed in the past 20 years. The report emphasized the importance of health professionals considering it their duty to report such cases.