Qualitative Study of General Public Views towards Adverse Drug Reactions in Lithuania

Direct patient reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is available in many countries, as patients are often knowledgeable about their health conditions and medicines. This study aimed to assess whether patients can recognize ADRs and whether they know how to proceed with ADR reporting. The study also assesses ADR information sources and the main barriers to reporting. Through the purposive and snowball sampling techniques, 42 consumers participated in focus group discussions. All discussions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for thematic content analysis. The thematic content analysis yielded four major themes: knowledge about medication safety, ADRs, and pharmacovigilance; information sources about medicines and ADRs; knowledge about ADR reporting; attitudes towards ADR reporting; benefits of ADR reporting; barriers to ADR reporting. Participants were able to identify ADRs and used different information sources about medicines and ADRs to confirm their beliefs. However, the poor communication between consumers, pharmacists, and physicians is the main barrier to ADR reporting. This study identified the challenges in relation to pharmacovigilance in Lithuania from patients’ perspectives. Our study indicated a lack of clearly set standards and communication guidelines between patients, physicians, and pharmacists. Active pharmacovigilance might help develop consumer habits regarding the reporting of ADRs in the presence of spontaneous pharmacovigilance.