title: Adverse drug reactions reporting: pharmacists' knowledge, attitude and practice in Shiraz, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While yellow card reporting system has started in 1998 in Iran, the ADR reporting rate is very low.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In order to explore whether the Iranian Pharmacovigilance system could be modified, and to determine reasons for under-reporting, a study to investigate the role of pharmacists in ADR reporting was done in Shiraz.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2013 in Shiraz, Iran. After describing the study and its goal for each participant, oral consent was taken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  100 out of 120 pharmacists (83.3%) agreed to participate in the interview. 79 out of 100 respondents were working in private pharmacies, 7% in governmental pharmacies, and 3% in pharmacies located in hospitals. Although level of knowledge regarding ADR was low among pharmacists, all of them admitted that paying attention to ADRs and timely reporting is very important. While 6 (6%) pharmacists thought that they had been taught too much about ADR in the university, 30% believed that it was enough, 41% claimed that it was not satisfactory and 23% admitted that it was little.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our pharmacists have little knowledge about the process, goal, and importance of ADR spontaneous reporting system. Otherwise, education and training courses will be important in maintaining, improving and enhancing ADR reports by pharmacists.
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Afifi
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Najmeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maharloui
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Payam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peymani
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Soha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Namazi
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza Gholami
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Gharaei
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Pegah
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jahani
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Kamran B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lankarani
mesh_terms: D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D060735:Pharmacovigilance; D024382:Professional Role
keywords: Iran; Pharmacists; attitude; knowledge; practice adverse drug reaction reporting