Asan Tata— November 7, 2026If you ever felt unwell after taking a medicine, you are not alone. Many people notice a new symptom after starting a treatment and are unsure whether the medicine caused it or whether it is worth mentioning. In the UAE, health authorities now want residents to speak up about exactly that kind of experience.
On 4 November 2026, the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) launched a nationwide campaign called ‘Speak Up .. Stay Safe’. The campaign asks patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals to report suspected side effects of medicines. It runs as part of MedSafetyWeek 2026, a global medicine-safety week held from 2 to 8 November 2026.
This guide explains what the campaign is, who is behind it, how reporting works in the UAE, what details help a report, and what happens after you submit one. It also explains what reporting is not, so you can use the system with clear expectations.
Quick Answer
UAE residents who notice a suspected side effect from a medicine can report it through the Emirates Drug Establishment’s official reporting channels, including the EDE DAWA smart tool. You do not need proof that the medicine caused the symptom. A suspected link is enough to report. Specialists review each report alongside other scientific evidence. Reporting does not replace medical advice, so seek urgent care for serious symptoms and talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your treatment.
What Is the ‘Speak Up .. Stay Safe’ Campaign?
The campaign is the UAE’s part of MedSafetyWeek 2026. This year’s theme is ‘Side effects – Don’t ignore them, report them!’ The week is now in its 11th edition and is coordinated by the Uppsala Monitoring Centre, the World Health Organization’s collaborating centre for medicine safety monitoring, working with regulators and monitoring centres around the world.
In the UAE, the Emirates Drug Establishment leads the campaign. It works with five health authorities: the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Emirates Health Services, Dubai Health Authority, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, and the Sharjah Health Authority. Together, they want reporting to become a normal part of using medicines safely, not something people do only during an awareness week.
Dr Ruqaya Aqeel Al Bastaki, acting executive director of the Medical Products Regulation Sector at EDE, explained the thinking behind the campaign. She said monitoring medicine safety does not end when a product is approved and enters the market. It continues throughout the medicine’s life, as more information becomes available about how it affects patients in real life.
That point matters. Clinical trials test a medicine on a limited number of people for a limited time. Once thousands of people use it, rarer effects and effects in specific groups can come to light. Reports from ordinary patients are one of the main ways regulators spot those patterns early.
What Counts as a Side Effect?
A side effect is an unwanted effect that may be linked to a medicine. It can be mild, such as drowsiness, nausea, a headache or a skin rash. It can also be more serious, such as breathing difficulty, swelling, severe dizziness or a reaction that needs hospital care.
You do not need to be certain the medicine caused it. The campaign is about suspected side effects. If a new symptom appeared after you started a medicine, changed a dose, or switched to a different brand, that is worth reporting. Specialists assess the report and decide whether it fits a known pattern or needs further investigation.
Side effects can also come from other medical products, not only tablets and capsules. The EDE DAWA tool covers suspected side effects of medicines and other medical products, so the same reporting route applies more broadly.
When to Seek Urgent Help First
Reporting is important, but it is not emergency care. If you or someone near you has a serious reaction, such as trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, fainting, chest pain or a severe allergic reaction, seek urgent medical help right away. Call for emergency help or go to the nearest emergency department. You can still file a report later, once the person is safe.
For symptoms that worry you but are not an emergency, contact your doctor or pharmacist promptly. They can advise whether to keep taking the medicine, adjust the dose, or switch to an alternative. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own without medical advice, because stopping suddenly can itself be harmful for some treatments.
How to Report a Side Effect in the UAE
Residents can report through EDE’s official channels, including the DAWA smart tool. The tool is designed to make reporting simple. You describe what happened, and the report is referred to specialists for review and assessment through established procedures. The tool was developed and approved as part of EDE’s partnership with the Uppsala Monitoring Centre, and it supports the continuous monitoring of medicines on the UAE market.
Use only official channels for your report. EDE has urged patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals to use its designated official reporting routes rather than informal posts or messages. If you are unsure where to start, your pharmacist or doctor can point you to the right channel, and the EDE website carries the official reporting links.
Follow these steps when you are ready to report:
- Note the medicine details. Write down the medicine’s name, its strength, and how much you took and how often. If you still have the box or leaflet, keep it nearby.
- Record the timeline. Note when you started the medicine, when the symptom began, and whether it changed when you stopped or restarted it.
- Describe the symptom clearly. Explain what you felt, how strong it was, and how long it lasted. Mention whether you needed medical care.
- List other medicines and products. Include other medicines, vitamins, supplements and herbal products you were using at the same time.
- Add your basic details. Your age group and general health background help specialists assess the report. Give only the information the official form asks for.
- Submit through the official channel. Use the EDE DAWA smart tool or another EDE-designated reporting route, and keep any reference number you receive.
- Follow up with your doctor or pharmacist. Reporting helps the system, but your own care still needs a clinician’s advice about your treatment.
What Details Make a Report Useful?
A useful report is a clear one. Specialists look for patterns across many reports, so the details that matter most are the ones that let them compare cases. The table below shows what to have ready before you start.
| Detail | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Medicine name and strength | Identifies exactly which product was used |
| Dose and how often taken | Shows how much of the medicine was involved |
| Start date of the medicine | Sets the timeline for the symptom |
| Symptom and when it began | Links the effect to the treatment period |
| Outcome and medical care received | Shows how serious the effect was |
| Other medicines and supplements | Rules out other possible causes |
| Other health conditions | Gives context for the assessment |
If you cannot remember every detail, report what you know. An incomplete report is still more useful than no report. Specialists assess reports together with other scientific evidence, so one report alone rarely decides anything. It is the pattern across many reports that can reveal a safety signal.
What Happens After You Report?
Once submitted, your report goes to specialists for review and assessment. They check whether the effect is already known, whether it appears in other reports, and whether it needs further investigation. This work is called pharmacovigilance, the science of monitoring medicine safety after products reach the market.
Reporting can lead to several outcomes. Authorities may ask for more information, update safety guidance, or issue advice to healthcare professionals. In some cases, they may restrict or withdraw a product. Most reports, however, simply add to the safety picture and confirm that a known effect is being watched. You should not expect a personal medical answer from a report. For advice about your own treatment, always speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
An effective safety system depends on cooperation. Dr Al Bastaki stressed that regulators, healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical companies, patients and caregivers all play a part. When patients report, they add real-world evidence that trials alone cannot provide.
Who Else Is Involved in the Campaign?
The campaign reaches beyond patients. As part of MedSafetyWeek, virtual workshops are being organised for healthcare professionals to improve their understanding of medicine safety monitoring and the management of suspected side effects. Awareness activities are also taking place at the University of Sharjah, where students attend lectures on pharmacovigilance and receive training on using official reporting channels.
A separate webinar for pharmaceutical companies explains their responsibilities and the requirements for monitoring medicine safety. Companies that hold marketing rights for medicines must track safety information and manage risks after their products receive approval. The campaign guide sets out those responsibilities in detail.
For residents, the message is simpler. If something feels wrong after taking a medicine, do not ignore it. Tell your doctor or pharmacist, and consider filing a report through the official channel. Your report could help protect someone else who takes the same medicine.
Common Questions About Reporting
Many people hesitate to report because they are unsure whether their experience counts. The answers below cover the most common doubts.
Do I need proof that the medicine caused the symptom?
No. Reports are about suspected side effects. You only need to describe what happened and when. Specialists assess the possible link using your report and other evidence.
Can caregivers report on behalf of someone else?
Yes. The campaign encourages patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals to report. A parent, family member or carer can report a suspected effect they observed, with the details they know.
Should I report a mild side effect?
Yes. Mild effects matter too. A pattern of mild reports can still reveal a safety issue, and reporting helps regulators build a fuller picture of how a medicine behaves in everyday use.
Will reporting affect my treatment?
Filing a report does not change your prescription. Only your doctor or pharmacist can advise changes to your treatment. Keep taking your medicine as prescribed until a clinician tells you otherwise, unless you need urgent care.
Is my report confidential?
Reports go through official regulatory channels and are used for safety monitoring. Give only the information the official form asks for, and use the official tool rather than sharing personal health details on public platforms.
What if the effect happened a while ago?
You can still report it. Older reports still add to the safety record, especially if you can recall the medicine, the dose and roughly when the symptom appeared.
Disclaimer
This article is general information only and is not medical advice. It explains how medicine side effects can be reported in the UAE. It does not diagnose, treat or replace professional care. If you have a health concern, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. For serious symptoms, seek urgent medical help immediately. Medicine safety rules and reporting channels can change, so check the Emirates Drug Establishment’s official channels for the latest guidance before you submit a report.
Sources: Khaleej Times, 4 November 2026 (campaign announcement, MedSafetyWeek dates and theme, participating authorities, DAWA tool, workshops and university activities); Emirates Drug Establishment (federal regulator for medical products, established under Federal Decree-Law No. 28 of 2023); Uppsala Monitoring Centre (global coordination of MedSafetyWeek, 11th edition).
Last Updated: 7 November 2026
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