Barriers and facilitators to adverse drug reaction reporting among New Zealand community pharmacists: a qualitative investigation

Introduction Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) represent a significant public health burden, accounting for 3-6% of hospital admissions internationally and costing New Zealand taxpayers 280 million between 2015/16 and 2017/18. Community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to identify and report ADRs, yet their contribution to ADR reporting in New Zealand remains understudied. Aim This study aimed to investigate factors influencing ADR reporting by New Zealand community pharmacists, including current practices, barriers, facilitators, and potential improvements. Methods A descriptive qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with 12 registered community pharmacists across New Zealand. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using thematic analysis. Results The study resulted in three main themes: workplace environment, education/training, and patient information access. All themes were underpinned by insufficient time and resources, resulting in ADR reporting not being viewed as integral to pharmacy practice. Key barriers included a lack of workplace reporting culture, inadequate education/training, and incomplete patient information access. The COVID-19 pandemic paradoxically served as the primary facilitator by increasing system visibility. Most participants had previously submitted ADR reports, with online submission being preferred. Discussion: Despite understanding the importance of ADR reporting, New Zealand community pharmacists face systemic barriers preventing optimal reporting practices. Addressing these requires comprehensive solutions, including integration of reporting tools into dispensing software, enhanced education/training programs, improved patient information access, and adequate professional recognition and compensation. These findings provide a foundation for targeted interventions to improve pharmacovigilance in community pharmacy settings.