Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pharmacovigilance among Prescribers in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background:Pharmacovigilance plays a pivotal role in ensuring medication safety by detecting, assessing, and preventing adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Despite being a professional and ethical responsibility, ADR reporting remains suboptimal worldwide, particularly among undergraduate prescribers. Objectives:To assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding pharmacovigilance among MBBS student prescribers in a tertiary care hospital and to identify key barriers contributing to under-reporting of ADRs. Methods:A descriptive, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 150 MBBS students actively involved in prescription writing during clinical postings. Data were collected using a validated 20-item KAP questionnaire covering fundamental concepts of pharmacovigilance, attitudes toward ADR reporting, reporting practices, and perceived barriers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as frequencies and percentages. Results:Among the participants, 112 (74.7%) were aware of the term pharmacovigilance, and 98 (65.3%) correctly identified its primary objective as the detection and prevention of ADRs. A positive attitude was observed, with 124 students (82.7%) acknowledging ADR reporting as a professional obligation and a vital component of patient safety. However, practical engagement was limited, as only 18 students (12%) had ever reported an ADR. The major barriers identified were lack of knowledge regarding reporting procedures (44.6%), difficulty in diagnosing ADRs (32%), time constraints (14%), and non-availability of reporting forms (9.3%). Conclusion:Although MBBS prescribers demonstrated satisfactory knowledge and a favorable attitude toward pharmacovigilance, actual ADR reporting practice was notably poor. This highlights a significant knowledge–practice gap that requires targeted educational and system-level interventions. Recommendations:Incorporating structured pharmacovigilance training into the undergraduate curriculum, conducting regular hands-on workshops on ADR identification and reporting, integrating ADR reporting into routine clinical teaching, and implementing user-friendly digital reporting platforms are strongly recommended to improve reporting behavior and enhance patient safety.