Identifying strategies to improve adverse drug reporting through key informant interviews among community pharmacists in a developing country

TL;DR

The study explores why community pharmacists in Nigeria rarely report adverse drug reactions and suggests ways to improve reporting practices.

Contribution

The paper identifies barriers to ADR reporting and proposes targeted strategies like training and feedback to improve reporting among pharmacists in a developing country.

Findings

Low ADR reporting was observed, especially among pharmacists with less than five years of experience.

Barriers included lack of awareness, absence of motivation, and insufficient feedback from NAFDAC.

Training, awareness campaigns, and simplifying the reporting process were suggested to improve ADR reporting.

Abstract

Reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is fundamental in improving medication safety. Community pharmacists (CPs) being the first point of contact for individuals seeking healthcare in a community, play a significant role in ADR reporting. However, this has been poorly implemented in many countries including Nigeria. This paper aims to explore stakeholders’ perspectives on current reporting practices and suggest ways to enhance ADR reporting among CPs in Nigeria. This qualitative study employed a purposive sampling approach to identify key informants. Key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with 25 carefully selected pharmacists, using a semi-structured interview guide between July 2023 and August 2023. The interview transcripts were analyzed using a thematic content approach. While a low ADR reporting trend was observed among all participating pharmacists, it was notably higher among those with less than five years of experience. The main barriers to ADR reporting, as identified by the interviewed community pharmacists were lack of awareness and knowledge, absence of motivation, and insufficient feedback from National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Training and awareness campaigns were the most frequently suggested methods for improving ADR reporting. Other proposed strategies included providing motivation, regular feedback, establishing mandatory reporting, and simplifying the reporting process. The study has highlighted the suboptimal ADR reporting practices among CPs in Anambra state. It underscores the significance of training, sensitization, advocacy, and other related interventions as pivotal means to enhance ADR reporting in this group. Furthermore, there is a pressing need for intervention-based studies to delve into and implement these approaches effectively.