ADVERSE DRUG REACTION MONITORING AND REPORTING: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND BELIEF OF PHYSICIANS & PHARMACISTS OF RAS AL KHAIMAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)

Adverse drug reactions (ADR) contribute significantly in health care cost through increased patient morbidity and mortality. Thus, there is an urgent need to create awareness among health care professionals towards ADR monitoring and reporting. The aim of our study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and belief of physicians and pharmacists towards ADR. This is a prospective cross-sectional survey based study. Questionnaire consists of 17 open ended and closed ended questions, was prepared and validated for its content and circulated to physicians and pharmacists from the selected hospitals and community pharmacies of Ras Al Khaimah, U.A.E. Majority of the physicians (n=50) were not aware of the ADR reporting system in UAE. Good number (n=19) of physicians did not know whom to report. The most common classes of medications associated with ADR were antibiotics. Great part of the physicians (n=45) have mentioned that only around 10% of their patients report their ADR. Only small number (n=15) of these physicians have reported the ADR to head of department or to drug manufacturer.  Many physicians (n=31) were interested in getting trained on ADR reporting. We conclude that the awareness of ADR Reporting system in Ras Al Khaimah, U.A.E was limited. One of the main reasons for under reporting of ADR was did not know “whom” and “how to report”. Hence, more ADR related awareness is needed to motivate the health care professionals to monitor, and report ADR for improving the health care quality.