VigiAccess API
For software vendors and developers integrating VigiAccess search functions into their products and systems.
What is the VigiAccess API?
VigiAccess is a public resource offering a statistical representation of the data in VigiBase. The full VigiBase dataset contains sensitive information that is subject to legal privacy protections. VigiAccess is a public, online tool providing a summarised view of VigiBase that groups certain categories of data to protect privacy. VigiAccess API enables connection to VigiAccess, allowing other systems to incorporate VigiAccess requests and perform certain functions not available on the VigiAccess website.
The value of using the VigiAccess API?
The VigiAccess API is a fully documented interface that lets you build VigiAccess queries directly into your own software. Vendors can add value to their products by empowering users to query VigiAccess directly and output the returned results into a preferred format.
VigiAccess summarises the entire VigiBase dataset – the largest, most diverse collection of structured medicines and vaccine safety data available, with reports contributed by national pharmacovigilance centres representing 99% of the global population. For privacy and data protection reasons, VigiAccess presents aggregated data, grouped by continent, substance, and age group.
Unlike the VigiAccess website, which only supports searching on substance, the VigiAccess API allows searches on both substance and adverse drug reaction (ADR).
Fees
Fees for all VigiBase Services are set on a cost recovery basis to support the operation and development of VigiBase and offer equitable access and value for users. Contact us to discuss our fees in more detail.
Using the VigiAccess API
Users of VigiAccess API are primarily software vendors and other systems developers seeking to enhance the functionality of their tools or add value to their customer offering.
Limitations on the data and its use
VigiAccess data is intended as a useful starting point for people who wish to understand more about the types of potential side effects that have been reported in association with the use of medicinal products. However, VigiAccess data cannot be used to infer any confirmed link between a suspected side effect and any specific medicine.
Analysis and interpretation of VigiAccess data requires specialised medical or scientific expertise.
A VigiAccess search on a medicinal product will return a basic list of reported potential side effects and the number of times each effect has been reported. However, the database does not include other factors needed to put that number into context, such as how many people have taken the product, how long they have taken it, how long it has been on the market, and the differing reporting practices that influence which observations are included in the reports. VigiAccess cannot be used to compare the safety profiles of different medicinal products.
The data provided through VigiAccess API is not the entire VigiBase dataset. Confidential information, such as narratives, medical history, lab tests, and other similar data are not included in the downloadable files. Also, due to legal requirements on data protection and agreements among WHO PIDM members, we are unable to provide age or country-specific information. Instead, age groups and regions are provided.
Every release of data from VigiBase is subject to the terms of a caveat document that describes the nature and limitations of the data. Any use of VigiBase data in scientific publications should be informed by the study guidelines document.
Caveat Document Study Guideline
Contact us
Contact UMC to learn more about implementing and using the VigiAccess API.