Characteristics of hospitals that report adverse drug reactions: Results of a nationwide survey in Japan

J Clin Pharm Ther. 2022 Aug;47(8):1240-1248. doi: 10.1111/jcpt.13661. Epub 2022 Mar 31.

Abstract

What is known and objective: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are one of the primary reasons for hospitalization. The spontaneous reporting of ADRs by healthcare professionals is important for issuing post-marketing drug safety measures. The Japanese Society of Hospital Pharmacists (JSHP) conducts a nationwide survey annually. Using data from this large-scale survey, we identified the characteristics of hospitals that reported ADRs to regulatory authorities and pharmaceutical companies.

Methods: Data were obtained from annual surveys conducted by JSHP from 2015 to 2020. All variables were expressed as categorical variables and tabulated. The Chi-square test was used to compare the categorical variables. The Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to identify significant trends in the proportion of hospitals reporting ADRs.

Results and discussion: From 2015 to 2020, 22,362 responses were recorded. There was a significant increase in the proportion of hospitals that reported ADRs with an increase in number of beds and pharmacists (p < 0.0001). The proportion of hospitals reporting ADRs to regulatory authorities was also significantly higher in those charging an additional fee for pharmacist-performed ward operations and in those with an ADR data management section than in hospitals without these attributes (p < 0.0001).

What is new and conclusion: Hospitals that submitted ADR reports to the regulatory authorities and pharmaceutical companies charged an additional fee for pharmacist-performed ward operations, had a central ADR data management section, and had fewer beds per pharmacist. This trend was similar, regardless of the size of the hospital.

Keywords: adverse event; pharmacoepidemiology; safety.

MeSH terms

  • Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems*
  • Drug Industry
  • Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions* / epidemiology
  • Hospitals*
  • Humans
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Pharmacists
  • Surveys and Questionnaires