Yellow Card System Prominence
Steps be taken to give greater prominence to the online Yellow Card system to those receiving drugs or biological products, or who are being transfused with blood components.
- No published evidence of specific steps to give greater prominence to the Yellow Card system among recipients of drugs, biological products, or blood components has been identified to March 2026.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe online Yellow Card system is UK wide and therefore this recommendation has been addressed on a UK wide basis. The Yellow Card system has provided vital feedback, but we agree with the inquiry that this deserves greater publicity.
The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in collaboration with Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) have put plans in place and agreed a high-level curriculum to deliver blood training and awareness workshops.
The first workshops were delivered to the Welsh and South West region in January 2025, with a second workshop arranged to be delivered in Scotland in May.
User stories for the Yellow Card platform changes have been approved and are undergoing user acceptance testing for delivery by September 2025. A scoping meeting for final delivery of the changes is to be arranged.
Further promotional activities are planned via updates to the online Yellow Card platform, bulletins and the upcoming 60th Anniversary of the platform. The Yellow card 60th anniversary events publicised the MHRA yellow card function. Further opportunities will be made from MHRA events and conference invites where MHRA speak to raise awareness and further education about the Yellow Card scheme in relation to blood, working with patient organisations, other healthcare partners and Royal Colleges.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
As of 13 January 2026: 3,721 people asked to start claims, 3,546 begun process, 3,074 received offers totalling £2.47bn, 2,861 paid totalling £1.89bn. Third compensation regulations in force 31 December 2025.
View detailed findings
IBCA exceeded initial expectations. Three sets of regulations now in force covering infected persons, affected persons, and supplementary routes. £11.8bn committed in October 2024 Budget. Independent review found "very creditable progress."