Physician Reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions

The Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Md, contracted with the Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, to conduct a project to increase reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions through physician education. Voluntary reporting, an important part of postmarketing surveillance that signals potential problems with marketed drugs, historically has been underused by physicians. After 2 years, there was a more than 17-fold increase in reports submitted directly from Rhode Island compared with the yearly average before initiation of the project. Increases in the total numbers of reports were paralleled by significant increases in the numbers of reports of severe reactions. Similar increases were not experienced nationally. Physicians in Rhode Island were surveyed before and 2 years after interventions began to determine changes in knowledge and attitudes about reporting of adverse drug reactions. Significant gains in knowledge and positive attitudes toward the reporting system occurred. We conclude that physicians can be stimulated to increase their reporting of suspected reactions, thereby improving the viability of the federal reporting system.