Contribution of pharmacists to the reporting of adverse drug reactions

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to get a better view about the possible contribution of pharmacists' reports to the quantity and the quality of reports and in this way to the quality of a voluntary reporting system of adverse drug reactions. METHODS: A total of 15,293 reports, sent to the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Foundation Lareb between 1995 and 2000 were analysed for the characteristics of pharmacists' reports and the differences with reports from physicians i.e. dispersion of adverse drug reactions in relation to the different System and Organ Classes, the seriousness of the reports according to the CIOMS criteria and the documentation grade of the reports. A total of 200 reports were selected at random and their quality assessed. RESULTS: Pharmacists are responsible for 40% of the reports sent in to Lareb during this period. Their reports more frequently concern adverse effects in relation to skin and the eyes. Adverse drug reactions reported by pharmacists tend to be less severe than those reported by physicians and pharmacists' reports tend to be of a lower documentation grade than those of physicians. Also, the quality of the clinical information is higher in physicians' reports. CONCLUSIONS: The contribution of pharmacists to the voluntary reporting system in the Netherlands is of great importance, both for the number and quality of the reports.