Hussain, Rabia and Hassali, Mohamed Azmi and Rehman, Anees ur and Muneswarao, Jaya and Hashmi, Furqan
(2020)
Physicians’ Understanding and Practices of
Pharmacovigilance Qualitative Experience from a
Lower Middle-Income Country.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Abstract
Developed countries have established pharmacovigilance systems to monitor the safety of
medicines. However, in the developing world, drug monitoring and reporting are facing enormous
challenges. The current study was designed to explore the challenges related to the understanding
and practices of physicians in reporting adverse drug reactions in Lahore, Pakistan. Through the
purposive sampling technique, 13 physicians were interviewed. All interviews were audio-recorded,
transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for a thematic content analysis. The thematic content analysis
yielded six major themes: (1) Familiarity with medication safety and adverse drug reaction (ADR)
concept, (2) Knowledge about pharmacovigilance activities, (3) Practices related to ADR reporting,
(4) Barriers impeding ADR reporting, (5) Acknowledgement of the pharmacist’s role, and (6) System
change needs. The majority of the physicians were unaware of the ADR reporting system; however,
they were ready to accept practice changes if provided with the required skills and training. A lack
of knowledge, time, and interest, a fear of legal liability, poor training, inadequate physicians’ and
other healthcare professionals’ communication, and most importantly lack of a proper reporting
system were reported as barriers. The findings based on emerging themes can be used to establish
an e�ective pharmacovigilance system in Pakistan. Overall, physicians reported a positive attitude
towards practice changes, provided the concerned authorities support and take interest in this poorly
acknowledged but most needed component of the healthcare system.
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
