This document discusses pharmacovigilance, which refers to the monitoring of medicines to detect and prevent adverse effects. The objectives of pharmacovigilance include improving patient safety, public health, and rational drug use. It is important due to limitations of clinical trials and the need to ensure drugs are used safely. Governing bodies that oversee pharmacovigilance include regulatory authorities and the WHO. Methods of monitoring include individual case reports, cohort studies, and periodic safety reports submitted by drug companies. Major adverse drug reactions that prompted increased pharmacovigilance include those from sulphanilamide and thalidomide. The scope of pharmacovigilance aims to improve understanding and safe use of medicines.