A mobile app to report suspected adverse drug reactions, including to the Covid-19 vaccine, has been launched in SA.

The Med Safety app is compatible with iOS and Android operating systems.

The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), an entity of the national department of health, said it is using the app to improve the reporting of adverse effects of medicines and vaccines, to promote pharmacovigilance and medicine safety.

The app was developed by WEB-Recognising Adverse Drug Reactions (WEB-RADR), which is an EU-based project.

Sahpra said it is committed to the protection of information provided by people using the app. The benefit of using the tool, said the authority, is to provide a readily available platform to users for feedback about their submitted report.

Users are also able to create a “watch list” to follow medicines of interest, which enables them to view information that is relevant to them.

This app will benefit all South Africans who encounter adverse drug reactions and adverse events after immunisation, including those related to Covid-19 vaccines, “and will accelerate how Sahpra manages the reports,” said Sahpra CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela.

Acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday the cabinet had agreed to lift the suspension of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Sisonke vaccination programme. The suspension allowed SA’s scientists to review the data on the J&J vaccine.

The reviewed data confirmed that SA had not experienced any rare blood clots with the already vaccinated health-care workers, she said.

SA will receive one million more J&J vaccines by Monday.

The cabinet also welcomed the successful negotiation of an additional 10 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which will bring the total doses of the Pfizer vaccine to 30 million. This means SA will be able to vaccinate 15 million people with the Pfizer vaccine instead of just 10 million, she said.

Phase 2 of the vaccination rollout programme starts on May 17.

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