Infarmed warned covid-19 patients today that they should be aware of any adverse effects to the medications they take for the symptoms of the disease, remembering that many of the reactions that may occur are still unknown.

In a note published on its website, the National Authority for Medicines and Health Products warns patients with suspected or confirmed covid-19, who must warn the authorities of adverse effects that occur with taking not only the medicines for the symptoms of the disease as of others that they habitually use for other pre-existing chronic diseases.

Recalls that currently there are no authorized medicines to treat covid-19 and that, in the context of the pandemic, several authorized medicines are being used for other diseases.

Infarmed explains that “the knowledge about the new virus is still incomplete, and unknown drug interactions that may be occurring with the therapy of these patients are unknown”.

By reporting any suspected adverse effects related to drugs used in the context of covid-19, patients and healthcare professionals “can help to gather valuable evidence for making informed decisions about the safe and effective use of drugs as they the pandemic is evolving ”, he stresses.

The information provided by patients and health professionals “will contribute to increase the knowledge generated by clinical trials and other studies, which reinforces the importance of being directly notified of any suspicion directly to the National Pharmacovigilance System”, he adds.

This notification can also be made to the marketing authorization holder of the associated drugs, following the instructions in the respective information leaflet, or even directly to the doctors, nurses or pharmacists who follow the patient, who will forward the information to Infarmed.

The National Medicines Authority also reminds that, when reporting any adverse effect, the patient or health professional “must provide accurate and complete information”, namely the description of the reactions, if the information by covid-19 is confirmed through tests or if is based on clinical symptoms, the name of the drug suspected of causing the reaction, the dose and duration of treatment, the batch number and the names of all other drugs the patient is taking, including those without a prescription, herbal or contraceptive products.

The latest data from the authorities indicate that Portugal registers 948 deaths associated with covid-19 and 24,322 cases of infection.

The new coronavirus, responsible for the covid-19 pandemic, has already claimed more than 215,000 deaths and infected more than three million people worldwide. More than 840,000 patients were considered cured by health authorities.