title: State of knowledge of Cameroonian drug prescribers on pharmacovigilance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study conducted in Cameroon from June 2013 to February 2014 aimed to estimating the level of pharmacovigilance knowledge and practice of health professionals in Cameroon.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey on 149 health professionals in Cameroon from June to September 2013. Data were analyzed using software IBM SPSS 20.0. We calculated proportions and odd ratio, and confident interval of their values, keeping a threshold of p of 0.05 to determine the level of significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety percent (90%) of declaration of side effects were made to the medical representatives and 4% to the National Pharmacovigilance Centre. Fifty four percent (54%) of physicians were not aware of the existence of a National Pharmacovigilance system. Ten (10%) of prescribers had never heard of pharmacovigilance, however respondents answered unanimously that they need training on pharmacovigilance. A wrong definition was given by most of the nurses and dentists (61,1% and 58,3% respectively) as compared to physicians and pharmacists (respectively 15.2% and 26,5%). Given the results of this study, the establishment of a National Pharmacovigilance system based on a solid legal foundation is necessary in Cameroon. This implementation must go through the involvement of all stakeholders and their awareness raising on the importance of this activity and its positive impact on the health of populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacovigilance is a public health problem in Cameroon, with due to lack of good knowledge and practice of prescribers, precisely physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and dentists who are not always aware of an existing pharmacovigilance system in Cameroon.
authors.affiliation: Acute Medicine, Medicine of Catastrophes, Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Pharmaceutical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, at University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nde
authors.affiliation: UDM, Bangante, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Aimé Bernard Djitafo
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Fah
authors.affiliation: University of Yaounde I, UdM, Bangante, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Francis Ampère
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Simo
authors.affiliation: Joseph Fourier de Grenoble University, UFR de Pharmacology, Department Molecular Pharmacology, UMR 5063, Bât. E (André Rassat), Pôle chimie - BP53, 38041 Grenoble.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wouessidjewe
mesh_terms: D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D002163:Cameroon; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060735:Pharmacovigilance
keywords: Cameroon; Pharmacovigilance system; drug side effect; knowledge; practices