Adverse drug reaction reporting in New Zealand: implications for pharmacists

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and contribute to the incidence of adverse events, resulting in increased healthcare costs. Healthcare providers need to understand their role and responsibility in the detection, management, documentation, and reporting of ADRs, all essential activities for optimizing patient safety. The purpose of this article is to summarize findings from important ADR literature reviews and describe the components, and extent of participation, of the national ADR reporting program available in New Zealand. A series of recommendations to increase the detection of ADRs is also described.