Pharmacovigilance: Regulatory and procedural guidance

The European Medicines Agency developed the good-pharmacovigilance-practice (GVP) guideline to facilitate the performance of pharmacovigilance activities in the European Union. GVP is a key deliverable of the 2010 pharmacovigilance legislation to replace earlier guidance drawn up by the European Commission.

Until July 2012, the European Commission drew up pharmacovigilance guidelines in accordance with Article 106 of Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and the Council, known as volume 9A. With the application of the new pharmacovigilance legislation as of July 2012, volume 9A has now been replaced by the good-pharmacovigilance-practice (GVP) guideline, published by the Agency. Where GVP modules have not yet been finalised, and for some transitional measures, the relevant parts of volume 9A of the rules governing medicinal products in the European Union remain applicable.

For more information on transitional measures, see questions and answers on implementation of pharmacovigilance legislation.

Other guidelines not incorporated in the GVP guideline, as well as current and historical concept papers and draft guidelines under public consultation, are listed below.

Guidance is also available on withdrawn products notification and risk-management plans.