Prevalence, Determinants, and Reasons for the Non-Reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions by Pharmacists in the Miyagi and Hokkaido Regions of Japan

Little is known about the potential of adverse drug reaction (ADR) non-reporting by Japanese pharmacists. The aim of the present study was to clarify the prevalence, determinants, and reasons for ADR non-reporting by pharmacists in the Miyagi and Hokkaido regions of Japan. In this cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire-based study, we contacted 3,164 pharmacists who belonged to the Miyagi Prefecture Hospital Pharmacists Association or the Hokkaido Society of Hospital Pharmacists during the 3-month period between January to March 2013. Of the 1,795 respondents 22.4% were <30 years of age, 25.6% were ≥ 50 years of age, and 42.1% were female. A total of 77.6% of the respondents did not have a personal history of ADR reporting. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that female sex (odds ratio, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-1.97), having <10 years of practical experience (2.59, 1.39-4.82 for 5-9 years; 7.03, 2.94-16.83 for <5 years), working at a community pharmacy or drugstore (1.90, 1.16-3.12), having <5 pharmacists in the workplace (2.01, 1.48-2.75), and not understanding the ADR reporting system (5.93, 4.23-8.33) were significantly and independently associated with not having a personal history of ADR reporting. The most common reason for ADR non-reporting was “It was a well-known adverse drug reaction” (43.0%) followed by “Association between the drug and adverse reaction was not clear” (38.0%), “It was a minor adverse drug reaction” (29.0%), “Did not know how to make a report” (17.4%), and “Never been consulted about ADRs” (17.2%). As an understanding the ADR reporting system was strongly associated with ADR reporting, a more aggressive promotion of the ADR reporting system among pharmacists is warranted.