Discover how we are committed to ensuring patient safety

Last September, we celebrated World Patient Safety Day globally, a day initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness about patient safety. Amgen supports this important day and is dedicated to the well-being of patients. In honor of this day, I spoke with Iris Visser, Safety Manager at Amgen Netherlands, about her and her team’s work and the importance of patient safety.

The work of the Pharmacovigilance Department

The pharmacovigilance department plays a crucial role within Amgen. Iris Visser explains: "Our team is involved in drug safety monitoring. The goal is to minimize any unwanted effects of Amgen's medicines by identifying and analyzing side effects."

The Dutch Safety Team is responsible for the implementation and execution of local pharmacovigilance obligations. They process reports of side effects through various channels, such as our Patient Support Programs (PSPs), side effect center Lareb, literature, and even social media. "We ensure that all reports are entered into our safety database and send follow-up letters to doctors to make the medical information as complete as possible," says Iris.

The importance of patient safety

Patient safety is an important part of the work of Iris and her team."We are committed every day to ensuring the safety of patients. Any medicine can have unintended side effects, and the more we know about them, the better we can help patients," Iris explains. She emphasizes the importance of detecting side effects to prevent them and provide the best possible care to patients.

Focus on World Patient Safety Day

Amgen supports World Patient Safety Day, which this year is focused on improving diagnoses. Iris explains: "The theme ‘Improving diagnosis for patient safety’ highlights the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis. Diagnostic errors account for 16% of unintended harm to patients that could have been prevented."

According to Iris, it is essential to bring attention to this day: "Patient safety concerns us all, and that’s what Amgen stands for: ‘to serve patients.’ We want to raise awareness and actively contribute to improving care." This is why we invited colleagues to learn more about this topic through an interactive game.

Reporting side effects

Reporting side effects is a priority for Amgen’s Safety Team. This starts with raising awareness among all parties involved, both internally and externally, about the importance of reporting side effects. "Every new employee receives training on pharmacovigilance obligations, and we offer annual refresher courses," Iris explains.

It is crucial to record side effects because this can provide new insights into a drug’s safety. "When a medicine becomes available, it may be used by patients with various medical backgrounds. By properly recording side effects, we can take action if needed, for example, by adjusting the package leaflet or, in the worst-case scenario, by issuing a recall."

Helping patients

Finally, Iris hopes that, in addition to ensuring safety, Amgen is seen as a caring partner for patients. "In a time when patients already have a lot on their minds, we want Amgen to be perceived as a reliable and helpful partner that always has their best interests at heart."

With this commitment to safety and care, Amgen underscores the value of patient safety and aligns with our motto: Together we strive for better

Picture off the Safety team on Patient Safety day
Celebrating World Patient Safety Day 2024
Danielle Stander, Elani Botha en Iris Visser