A study designed to detect the incidence and types of adverse drug reactions occurring in pediatric patients was conducted utilizing 63 patients in the hematology-oncology unit of a private, nonprofit teaching hospital. The study was also designed to evaluate a method whereby the pharmacist could effectively coordinate an active program to detect, report and evaluate adverse drug reactions. All patients admitted to the pediatric hematology-oncology unit were included in the study. Reports of adverse drug reactions were submitted by members of the medical and nursing staff as well as the pharmacist-investigator. Each reported adverse reaction was confirmed and evaluated by both the pharmacist-investigator and a physician. During the study period 63 patients were studied and 91 adverse reactions were detected. Twenty-three different drugs were implicated as the cause of adverse reactions. The incident rate of adverse reactions was 56%. The effectiveness of the pharmacist as coordinator of studies of this type is discussed.
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Collins et al. (1974) studied this question.