Pharmacovigilance awareness and adverse events reaction reporting practices among pharmacy students in Iraq: A cross-sectional study

Introduction Pharmacovigilance (PV) plays an important role in ensuring the safety of medicines through detecting, assessing, and preventing adverse drug reactions (ADR) associated with medicine use. Despite the importance of ADR, several studies showed limited awareness and underreporting of ADRs among healthcare students, particularly in developing countries. Aim This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of Iraqi pharmacy students regarding PV and ADR reporting, Identify the barriers influencing their reporting and examine differences in KAP by academic level (final year vs 1–4 year). Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 412 pharmacy students from various private and government universities and colleges in Iraq. A structured, validated questionnaire was employed to assess the participant’s demographics, KAP and barriers to ADR reporting. Data were analysed using SPSS, with chi-square tests used to determine associations; p < 0.05 was considered to indicate significance. Results Most participants (60.4%) had never heard of PV, and 55.8% rated their knowledge as poor. Only 29.8% had reported an ADR, and 70.1% had never done so; insufficient knowledge of reporting procedures was the most frequently cited barrier (56.3%). Attitudes were more positive, with 74% acknowledging the importance of ADR reporting. Gender was not significantly associated with KAP ( p > 0.05). Final year students showed significant improvement in their knowledge and attitudes ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Pharmacy students in Iraq demonstrated limited knowledge and practice regarding PV. However, they exhibited positive attitudes toward it. These findings underscore the urgent need to integrate PV education into pharmacy curricula, strengthen practical training and foster collaboration with regulatory authorities to enhance ADR reporting before graduation.