title: Adverse drug event reporting systems: a systematic review.
abstract: Adverse drug events (ADEs) are harmful and unintended consequences of medications. Their reporting is essential for drug safety monitoring and research, but it has not been standardized internationally. Our aim was to synthesize information about the type and variety of data collected within ADE reporting systems.
  
  
  
  We developed a systematic search strategy, applied it to four electronic databases, and completed an electronic grey literature search. Two authors reviewed titles and abstracts, and all eligible full-texts. We extracted data using a standardized form, and discussed disagreements until reaching consensus. We synthesized data by collapsing data elements, eliminating duplicate fields and identifying relationships between reporting concepts and data fields using visual analysis software.
  
  
  
  We identified 108 ADE reporting systems containing 1782 unique data fields. We mapped them to 33 reporting concepts describing patient information, the ADE, concomitant and suspect drugs, and the reporter. While reporting concepts were fairly consistent, we found variability in data fields and corresponding response options. Few systems clarified the terminology used, and many used multiple drug and disease dictionaries such as the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA).
  
  
  
  We found substantial variability in the data fields used to report ADEs, limiting the comparability of ADE data collected using different reporting systems, and undermining efforts to aggregate data across cohorts. The development of a common standardized data set that can be evaluated with regard to data quality, comparability and reporting rates is likely to optimize ADE data and drug safety surveillance.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.|Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.
authors.forename: Chantelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.|School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1A6.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peddie
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.|Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.
authors.forename: Maeve E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Wickham
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.|Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.
authors.forename: Katherin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Badke
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.|School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1A6.
authors.forename: Serena S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Small
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Doyle-Waters
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.|School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1A6.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balka
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.|Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9.
authors.forename: Corinne M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hohl
mesh_terms: D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D060735:Pharmacovigilance
keywords: adverse drug events; data elements; medicines; pharmacovigilance; reporting systems; systematic review