Monitoring adverse reactions to antirheumatic drugs.

Drug monitoring systems have been developed in response to public concern over drug-related adverse events: no completely satisfactory method has yet been developed. Drug associated morbidity and mortality is a major problem in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. The damage to patients from recognized drug hazards can be reduced by close monitoring and sequential recording of results of investigations. Previously unrecognized drug-associated adverse events can best be identified by prospective surveillance of new drugs. Methodological problems are considerable but not insurmountable. Rheumatologists need to apply a variety of strategies to drug monitoring, some of them involving international cooperation.