Online Reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions: A Study from a French Regional Pharmacovigilance Center

Background. In France, online reporting via a website is a new method for notifying adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The French Midi-Pyrenees Regional Pharmacovigilance Center (RPVC) set up in July, 2010 a Web-based ADR reporting tool in order to improve ADR reporting rate. Objectives. To assess feasibility, use and performances of this new ADR reporting system. To evaluate the main characteristics of these online reports. Methods. In a retrospective study, we evaluated characteristics (numbers, ADR reporting and file processing times, type of reporters, suspected drugs, seriousness and nature of ADRs) of online notifications reported to the RPVC between July 7th, 2010 (first online notification) and December 31th, 2011. We performed comparisons to a random sample of conventional notifications, i.e. spontaneously reported to the RPVC via traditional tools (post, fax, e-mail or telephone) during the same period. Results. The total number of online reports was 312 over the 18-month period. There was a 45% increase in numbers of reports from ambulatory healthcare professionals after the implementation of the new reporting tool. Online reports were transmitted to the French Medicine Agency on average almost one month (26 days) earlier than conventional ones. This difference was mainly due to a faster ADR notification process via the online form (on average, the reporting period was decreased by 19 days with the new tool). In comparison to conventional notifications, online reports came more often from ambulatory healthcare professionals, and involved more frequently neuropsychiatric drugs and neuropsychiatric ADRs. None difference was observed for seriousness of ADRs. Conclusions. It is feasible to deploy an online ADR reporting system used by health professionals in current practice. We underline the efficiency of this new online reporting tool for increasing ADRs reporting. Moreover, this is the first published study demonstrating that an online reporting tool can help to save time on the ADR reporting period and file processing, which is essential to generate early safety signals.