Parental reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions in children in Lagos, Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the feasibility of parental reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to community pharmacies in Nigeria.


METHODS
Fifteen registered pharmacies were randomly selected in Lagos, Nigeria. Caregivers who procured antibiotics, antimalarials, paracetamol or ibuprofen for a child up to 12 years of age in these pharmacies between July and September 2007, were asked to report suspected ADRs in their child by filling in a questionnaire given to them by the pharmacist. If the caregivers suspected an ADR within 5 days of administering the medicine, they were asked to return the questionnaire within the following 7 days.


RESULTS
9023 drugs were procured for 2868 children (1807 (63%) of whom were male) and 689 (8%) of these drugs were administered by injection. Antibiotics (1975, 24%) were the most frequently procured type of drug of the four groups surveyed (antibiotics, antimalarials, paracetamol and ibuprofen) and chloroquine (445, 46%) was the most frequently procured antimalarial. 509 (18%) caregivers reported 575 suspected, mostly mild, ADRs (509 to antibiotics, 42 to antimalarials and 24 to analgesics). The two most frequently reported suspected ADRs were diarrhoea in 292/575 (51%) children and skin rashes in 103/575 (18%). The overall prevalence of ADRs in these children was 509/2868 (18%).


CONCLUSIONS
Parental reporting of suspected ADRs to antibiotics, antimalarial and analgesics in their children is feasible in Nigeria. This method of pharmacovigilance should be used more extensively.
Oshikoya
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KA
Pharmacology Department, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. mgxko1@nottingham.ac.uk
Senbanjo
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Njokanma
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D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009549:Nigeria; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055553:Prescription Drugs; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D055553:Prescription Drugs