Attitudes among hospital physicians to the reporting of adverse drug reactions in Sweden

This study was designed to investigate attitudes to and incentive for reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in general and towards nurses as reporters of ADRs in particular in a sample of hospital physicians. A questionnaire was sent to 1,201 randomly selected hospital physicians. The main factors for the decision to report an ADR were the severity of the reaction, a reaction to a new drug, and an unusual reaction. The most important factor for refraining from reporting was that the reaction was well known. There were no significant differences between males and females or between age groups in these aspects. A majority were positive or neutral to nurses as reporters. Only 6% stated that their willingness to report ADRs would be affected in a negative way if nurses were involved in the program for reporting. The results of this survey showed that inclusion of hospital nurses as reporters will not decrease the reporting rate from the physicians.