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. 2002 Oct;54(4):433-6.
doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2125.2002.01674.x.

Perception of the risk of adverse drug reactions: differences between health professionals and non health professionals

V Bongard  1 , S Ménard-Taché, H Bagheri, K Kabiri, M Lapeyre-Mestre, J L Montastruc
Affiliations

Perception of the risk of adverse drug reactions: differences between health professionals and non health professionals

V Bongard et al. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2002 Oct.

Abstract

Aims: To investigate how risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of several drug classes is perceived by health vs non health professionals.

Methods: Four hundred health professionals (i.e. 278 general practitioners, 76 pharmacists and 46 pharmacovigilance professionals) and 153 non health professionals were interviewed. Visual analogue scales were used to define a score of perceived risk of ADRs associated with each drug class (ranking from 0 to 10).

Results: Anticoagulants were ranked as the most dangerous drugs by general practitioners [median score (25th-75th centiles): 7.9 (6.7-9.0)], pharmacists [8.7 (7.8-9.7)] and pharmacovigilance professionals [8.1 (7.2-9.0)]. For non health professionals, the class ranked first was sleeping pills [8.7 (7.2-9.4)] followed by tranquillisers [8.2 (6.4-9.2)] and antidepressants [8.0 (5.9-9.1)]. Aspirin was listed in the last position by non health professionals [3.4 (1.5-5.4)].

Conclusions: There are major differences in the perception of risk of ADRs between health professionals and non health professionals.

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