What does pharmacovigilance primarily focus on?

Pharmacovigilance is a critical field within pharmacology that is primarily concerned with detecting, assessing, understanding, and preventing adverse effects or any other drug-related problems. The main aim is to improve patient safety and ensure that the benefits of a medication outweigh its risks. Through the collection and analysis of data regarding drug effects, pharmacovigilance identifies patterns and trends that may indicate potential safety concerns, leading to necessary regulatory actions or modifications in medication use.

While enhancing drug efficacy through marketing, regulating drug prices, and conducting clinical trials are important aspects of pharmaceutical practice, they do not directly relate to the ongoing monitoring of drug safety and effectiveness after a drug has been approved and is on the market. The focus of pharmacovigilance lies entirely on post-marketing surveillance rather than pre-marketing efficacy or cost considerations.