If an individual suffers adversity related to a medical device or a drug, the Food and Drug Administration hopes that he or she or their doctor files a report on that product through the MedWatch system. This allows the agency to keep track of hazards that could be indicative of serious and widespread problems, and the more people who relate their issues, the safer the country can be.
Now, the FDA has announced a similar system related to any adversity suffered in conjunction with a tobacco product. Previously, persons were able to report tobacco issues, but the platform to do so may have been confusing, as there wasn’t a dedicated portal for tobacco.
That has changed now, and the hope is that this could create uniformity in the way that people report health issues or potential defects related to the products. Tobacco is within the purview of the FDA, and widespread knowledge about how to report danger can help the agency improve safety and crack down on those products that could be harmful (in ways that go beyond how tobacco is already known to be harmful).
The FDA has provided a convenient list of the types of things that should warrant a report through the new system. Labeling issues are grounds for a report, as are issues with product quality and unexpected side effects.