Conclusion
There are gaps between knowledge and ADRs reporting among doctors working in a teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. These gaps need to be filled by improved training in pharmacovigilance and risk perceptions of drugs. It may take the doctors some time to fully accept ADR reporting as a role if continuous medical education, reminders and awareness on the Yellow Card reporting scheme are not instituted in the hospital. Attitudinal and cultural changes, whereby ADR reporting is seen as an integral part of the clinical activities of the doctors, are very necessary for a long term improvement of ADR reporting.
Abbreviations
ADR: Adverse drug reaction; WHO: World Health Organisation; LASUTH: Lagos State University Teaching Hospital; NPC: National Pharmacovigilance Centre; NAFDAC: National Agency for Food and Drug Administration; IQR: Interquartile Range and Control; OTC: Over The Counter.
Competing interests
The authors are members of adverse drug reaction motoring committee of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where the study was conducted.
Authors' contributions
KAO and JOA conceived the study, designed the study and questionnaire, and participated in distributing the questionnaires. KAO performed the statistical analysis and was reviewed by JOA. Both authors drafted the manuscript and approved the final version.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Mrs Johnson, the secretary, Department of Medicine, LASUTH, for performing the data entry.
BMC Clin Pharmacol. 2009;9:15 © 2009
Cite this: Perceptions of Doctors to Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting in a Teaching Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria - Medscape - Aug 11, 2009.