Overview
VIGIA integrates with VigiAccess, the WHO’s global database of reported adverse drug reactions, to retrieve safety data and distribution statistics. The system supports both the unofficial protocol-based scraper and the official WHO-UMC API.Key Capabilities
Drug Search
Search for medicines by trade name or active ingredient
SOC Distribution
System Organ Class distribution with percentages and counts
Demographics
Geographic, age, sex, and temporal distributions
Signal Detection
Identify disproportionate adverse event patterns
Architecture
VIGIA supports two integration methods:- Protocol Scraper (Default)
- WHO-UMC API (Official)
Unofficial scraper that mimics browser behavior to access VigiAccess data.Pros:
- No API key required
- Real-time data access
- Mirrors official web interface
- Subject to website changes
- Rate limited by session cookies
Data Structure
SOC Distribution
System Organ Class data with counts and percentages:Implementation
Protocol-Based Scraper
WHO-UMC Official API
Data Cleaning
VigiAccess returns strings with invisible Unicode characters:Configuration
Environment Variables
Scraper Configuration
API Endpoints
Scrape Drug (Protocol Method)
WHO-UMC API (Official Method)
Error Handling
Usage Examples
Protocol Scraper
WHO-UMC API
Related Pages
DIGEMID
Peruvian regulatory authority
FDA
US FDA device recalls
EMA
European Medicines Agency