Helpline for patients to report adverse reactions is piloted in England

The NHS in England has introduced a pilot scheme in which people can telephone a helpline to report suspected adverse reactions to a drug. In the scheme members of the public are being invited to telephone one call centre in the NHS Direct system—Beckenham, which covers southeast London—to report their experiences of possible adverse drug reactions. The scheme will be publicised in local media. NHS Direct is a 24 hour telephone and online...