Int J Pharm Pract 1997:5:202-8

School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Liverpool John Moores University
Christopher F. Green, DipClinPharm, MRPharmS, PhD student
David R. Mottram, PhD, FRPharmS, professor of pharmacy practice
Philip Rowe, PhD, senior lecturer

Southport and Formby District General Hospital
Adrian M. Brown, MSc, MRPharmS, chief pharmacist

Correspondence: Mr Green, 5a Tarbock Road, Huyton, Liverpool, England L36 5XN

Original Papers

An investigation into adverse drug reaction monitoring by United Kingdom hospital pharmacy departments

CHRISTOPHER F. GREEN, DAVID R. MOTTRAM, PHILIP ROWE and ADRIAN M. BROWN

Prior to the nationwide introduction of the Committee on Safety of Medicines "yellow card" adverse drug reaction reporting for hospital pharmacists, a study was carried out to investigate the activities undertaken by hospital pharmacists in adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting. A survey of 200 United Kingdom hospitals was conducted and 172 (86 per cent) questionnaires were returned. Local ADR reporting schemes were in operation in 26 (15.1 per cent) surveyed hospitals. The majority used locally designed cards to report ADRs. The most common reasons for the lack of a local ADR scheme (n=141) were staffing, the fact that a scheme had never been considered, time factors and the lack of perceived need to operate a scheme. Of these 141 departments, 80.1 per cent said they would consider implementing schemes in their hospital. With the inclusion of pharmacists in the CSM "yellow card" scheme, there is an incentive for them to become officially and further involved in the management and reporting of ADRs. Local ADR reporting schemes encourage pharmacovigilance and could allow pharmacists to take a leading role in this area of clinical practice.