Abstract

Background: The goal of the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) is to enhance patient safety and promote the well-being of the population. Adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting is an essential component of the PvPI. By educating undergraduate MBBS students about the ADR reporting procedures, it will increase the likelihood of them reporting ADRs when they become practicing doctors.

Aims and Objectives: The objective of this study was two-fold: first, to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of undergraduate medical students regarding pharmacovigilance (PV) and ADR reporting and second, to examine the effects of an educational intervention on these aspects among medical students at a tertiary care teaching hospital in rural Haryana.

Materials and Methods: This was a questionnaire‑based cross‑sectional study. The study tool was a validated questionnaire containing 20 questions on KAP to evaluate the awareness of PV and ADR reporting among undergraduate medical students before and after an educational intervention. Fischer’s exact test and paired student t-test were used for statistical analysis.

Results: The KAP study was conducted on 91 medical undergraduates. The response rates were expressed as percentages and Mean ± Standard deviation. Following the educational intervention, the knowledge and practices of PV and ADR reporting were significantly improved (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The knowledge and practices of medical students improved following educational intervention on PV and ADR reporting. Imparting knowledge of PV among medical students will inculcate ADR reporting culture and enhance health-care delivery services in the future.

Key words: Adverse Drug Reactions; Pharmacovigilance; Knowledge; Practices; Medical Students