Yellow Card Scheme

The Yellow Card Scheme is vital in helping the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to monitor the safety of the medicines and medical devices that are on the market.

Anyone, not just a clinician, can report suspected side effects (also known as adverse drug reactions) to a medicine, vaccine, herbal or complementary remedy or an adverse incident in respect of a medical device if:

• • a medicine causes side effects

• • someone’s injured (or almost injured) by a medical device, either because its labelling or instructions aren’t clear, it’s broken or has been misused

• • a patient’s treatment is interrupted because of a faulty device

• • someone receives the wrong diagnosis because of a medical device

• • a medicine doesn’t work properly

• • a medicine is of a poor quality

• • you think a medicine or medical device is fake or counterfeit

Once a report is received the problem will be investigated by the MHRA, the manufacturer or a medical specialist, depending on how serious it is.  Even if it is not investigated, it will be recorded to help prevent similar incidents in future.  You will receive a confirmation of your report and if you need to give more information, they will contact you.

Thyroid UK believes that any side effects of a thyroid hormone medicine should be reported.

There’s a different way to report a problem with a medical device if you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Read more information about the Yellow Card Scheme 

Report a medicine or medical device

Date updated: 10/05/21 (V1.0)
Review date: 17/05/22