Analysis of pharmacy organisation staff awareness of pharmacovigilance

The aim of the study was to investigate the awareness of pharmacists’ knowledge of the pharmacovigilance basics in pharmacy organisations (PhOs) of the Russian Federation and to identify the factors influencing their participation in the drug safety monitoring system. Materials and methods. A single-point survey study was conducted in the form of a single solid group online questionnaire survey of 513 pharmaceutical specialists from different regions of Russia. A specially designed 14-item questionnaire aimed was used to assess their knowledge of the pharmacovigilance system. Retrospective, comparative, statistical, and logical analysis methods were applied. Results. A comprehensive assessment of the level of pharmaceutical specialists’ pharmacovigilance knowledge in Russia was carried out. The factors influencing the specialists’ awareness were determined. The necessity of educational activities to increase the involvement of PhOs employees in the drug safety monitoring system was justified. The insufficient level of pharmaceutical specialists’ knowledge about the basic concepts and procedures of pharmacovigilance was revealed. Specialists with secondary specialized education and less work experience demonstrated a lower level of awareness. Only 13% of the participants had received training on pharmacovigilance, while the majority (about 80%) considered it necessary to increase the number of training programmes. The influence of education, work experience and job position on the awareness of professionals was established. Most respondents recognize the need to report adverse drug reactions (ADRs) occurring when taking a medicine, but in practice the level of reporting remains low. Conclusion. Insufficient knowledge of the pharmacovigilance basics among pharmacy workers causes a low level of ADRs reporting by them. A comprehensive approach, including educational initiatives and the development of targeted interventions, is required to improve specialists’ engagement in the drug safety monitoring system. Further research is necessary to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of educational programmes and motivational models to increase pharmaceutical specialists’ pharmacovigilance activities.