Why do general practitioners disregard direct to healthcare professional communication? A user-oriented evaluation to improve drug safety communication

Challenges in the Implementation of EU Risk Minimisation Measures for Medicinal Products in Clinical Practice Guidelines: Mixed Methods Multi-Case Study

INTRODUCTION

Risk minimisation measures (RMMs) aim to ensure safe use of medicines, but their implementation in clinical practice is complicated by the diversity of stakeholders whose clinical decision making they seek to inform. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are considered integral in clinical decision making.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the extent to which RMMs are included in the relevant CPGs and to describe factors that determine RMM inclusion.

METHODS

A multi-case study design using quantitative document analysis of CPGs combined with qualitative interviews with informants from organisations that issue CPGs. Cases from five therapeutic areas (TAs) with a regulatory requirement for further RMMs were studied individually in six EU member states (Denmark, Greece, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal and Slovenia). Clinical practice guidelines were analysed using pre-defined coding frameworks. Interviewees were sampled purposively for experience and knowledge about CPG development and RMM inclusion. Verbatim interview transcripts were analysed inductively.

RESULTS

In total, 136 CPGs were analysed, and RMM information about TAs was included in 25% of CPGs. Based on 71 interviews we found that factors that determine RMM inclusion in CPGs include clinicians' low awareness of RMMs despite awareness of RMMs' safety concern, low expectation of RMMs' clinical utility, and unfamiliarity with pharmacovigilance data supporting RMMs and perceived incompatibility of CPGs' scope and purpose and RMM information.

CONCLUSIONS

The inclusion of RMM information in relevant CPGs is remarkably limited. It may be explained by characteristics of CPGs and of RMMs as well as lack of connection between national regulators and organisations and authors developing CPGs. More collaboration between stakeholders, national regulators and the EMA may advance implementation.

How do safety warnings on medicines affect prescribing?

INTRODUCTION

Many adverse effects of medicines only become known after approval, prompting regulatory agencies to issue post-market safety advisories to inform clinicians and support safer care. Our team evaluated advisories issued by national regulators in Australia, Canada, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and the United States from 2007 to 2016 inclusive, comparing regulators' decisions to warn, effects on prescribing, doctors' awareness and responses to warnings, relevant regulatory policies, and specific case studies.

AREAS COVERED

Based mainly on our research program and a narrative review, this commentary describes how often regulators issue safety advisories and effects on clinical practice. We found extensive differences in decisions to warn, timing and content of warnings. Monitoring advice is often inadequate. The most systematic estimate suggests an average reduction in prescribing of around 6% compared with settings with no advisory. Interviews with doctors suggest limited awareness, uptake, and at times belief in these warnings.

EXPERT OPINION

Post-market safety advisories are an important intervention aiming to improve prescribing and use of medicines. However, differing warnings mean that some patients may be exposed to riskier prescribing than others. Better integration of new safety information into clinical practice is needed, as well as improved transparency, independence, and public engagement in regulatory decision-making.

Factors Influencing Preferences and Responses Towards Drug Safety Communications: A Conjoint Experiment Among Hospital-Based Healthcare Professionals in the Netherlands

Introduction

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Supplementary Information

Enhancing medication risk communication in developing countries: a cross-sectional survey among doctors and pharmacists in Malaysia

BACKGROUND

Medication risk communication is essential to ensure the safe use of medicines. However, very few nations worldwide have established effective risk communication systems. To date, the effectiveness of risk communication among healthcare professionals in Malaysia has never been evaluated. Our study aimed to (i) evaluate doctors' and pharmacists' awareness of regulatory risk communication methods; (ii) identify factors predicting the usefulness of these methods; and (iii) compare respondents' preferences for risk communication to outline suggestions for enhancement.

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey covering four commonly used risk communications, namely a national drug bulletin, safety alerts, Direct Healthcare Professional Communication letters (DHPCs), and educational materials. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between independent variables and the usefulness of risk communication. We performed qualitative analysis of free-text responses to gain insights on respondents' perspectives on risk communication.

RESULTS

Of the 1146 responses received, 650 were from pharmacists (56.7%). Among the four methods surveyed, 71.5% of respondents were aware of educational materials, while awareness of the other three methods ranged from 20.7 to 53.9%. Pharmacists had higher awareness of all four methods compared to doctors. Private sector respondents were more aware of DHPCs compared to those from the public sector. The strongest predictors for finding risk communication useful were being a pharmacist [odds ratio (OR) = 18.2; 95% CI: 10.98-30.07; p <  0.001], having ≥30 years' work experience [OR = 4.9; 95% CI: 1.98-12.08; p <  0.001], and working in the pharmaceutical industry [OR = 4.6; 95% CI: 1.08-19.72; p = 0.039]. Both doctors and pharmacists preferred risk communication in the English-language and electronic format. However, other preferences differed between the professions and sectors. Analysis of free-text comments revealed five core themes to guide risk communication enhancement strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk communication awareness differed between public and private sector doctors and pharmacists depending on communication source. Integrating our findings with the theory of effective communication, we provide suggestions for developing strategic plans on enhancing risk communication. Public-private sector collaboration is key in ensuring risk communication effectiveness.

Hydroxyzine Initiation Following Drug Safety Advisories on Cardiac Arrhythmias in the UK and Canada: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

Introduction

Regulatory advisories on hydroxyzine and risk of QT prolongation and Torsade de pointes (TdP) were issued in the UK in April 2015 and Canada in June 2016. We hypothesized patients with risk factors for QT prolongation and TdP, compared with those without risk factors, would be less likely to initiate hydroxyzine in the UK and in British Columbia (BC), Canada, following advisories.

Methods

We conducted a longitudinal study with repeated measures, and evaluated hydroxyzine initiation in a UK cohort and a concurrent BC control cohort (April 2013–March 2016) as well as in a BC advisory cohort (June 2014–May 2017).

Results

This study included 247,665 patients in the UK cohort, 297,147 patients in the BC control cohort, and 303,653 patients in the BC advisory cohort. Over a 12-month post-advisory period, hydroxyzine initiation decreased by 21% in the UK (rate ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.66–0.96) relative to the expected level of initiation based on the pre-advisory trend. Hydroxyzine initiation did not change in the BC control cohort or following the Canadian advisory in the BC advisory cohort. The decrease in hydroxyzine initiation in the UK in the 12 months after the advisories was not significantly different for patients with risk factors compared with those without risk factors.

Conclusion

Hydroxyzine initiation decreased in the UK, but not in BC, in the 12 months following safety advisories. The decrease in hydroxyzine initiation in the UK was not significantly different for patients with versus without risk factors for QT prolongation and TdP.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40264-022-01175-2.