In a release published on 2 November 2026, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced its 2026 national patient safety essay competition alongside the eleventh #MedSafetyWeek campaign, scheduled for 2–8 November. The release encouraged reporting of suspected side effects and other safety concerns through Yellow Card. It projected that more than 130 organisations from over 120 countries would share medicines-safety messages in more than 60 languages during that campaign.

The announced essay topic covers how Yellow Card can help identify risks from artificial intelligence used as a medical device and improve reporting of AI-related adverse events. The MHRA said the first edition drew 68 entries from more than 30 UK medical schools. The 2026 rules extended eligibility to pharmacy students as well as medical students. The announced deadline for essays of up to 2,000 words is Monday 11 January 2027. Six prizes were advertised, including £500 for first place in each category and an invitation to present at a national meeting.

MHRA Chair Professor Anthony Harnden said the AI theme was timely and that widening the contest recognised pharmacy professionals' role. Chief Safety Officer Alison Cave encouraged reporting of device problems, including AI-enabled devices. These statements and the campaign projections belong to the 2 November announcement.