What Is a Side Effect?

Side effects, also known as adverse drug reactions (ADRs), are unwanted symptoms that are linked with taking a medicine.

They can range from mild - for example feeling sick (nausea) - to severe - which can be life-threatening.

All medicines can cause side effects, and their frequency can vary from ‘very common’ (more than 1 in 10 people affected) to ‘very rare’ (fewer than 1 in 10,000 people affected).

If you have experienced a side effect when using a medicine, you should report it to the Yellow Card Scheme, which is run by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK.

A link to the reporting page can be found on the left of every product page on the emc