Prescriptions

Side effects

Learn about medicine side effects and how to manage them if you think you're experiencing them.

Every medicine comes with a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) which includes important information about who it is suitable for, and known side effects.

You should always read the PIL before starting a new medicine. You can reduce the risk of experiencing unpleasant side effects by following your doctor or pharmacist's instructions for taking your medicine.

If you are concerned about the side effects you're experiencing, contact your doctor or pharmacist, or 111 if you want to speak to someone non-urgently out of hours. If you believe you're having a severe allergic reaction or, in an emergency, call 999.

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What do I do if I have side effects from medication?

If you experience any side effects not listed in the Patient Information Leaflet, you can register them with the Yellow Card Scheme. This is run by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to check the safety of medicines. The Yellow Card Scheme also allows you to report any problems with medical devices, or medicine you think might be fake.

Report side effects via the Yellow Card Scheme.

Approved by: Mital Thakrar

GPhC number: 2086675

Mital qualified as a Pharmacist and joined Well in 2013. With an extensive background in Pharmacy his current role as the Clinical Product, Digital Marketing & Innovation Manager focuses on innovation and commercial development of the online products at Well Digital.

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