Materiovigilance: An Indian perspective

Barriers in reporting adverse effects of medical devices: a literature review

Medical devices play an essential role in the delivery of healthcare but its use is not entirely risk free. There are several instances where it causes mortality or morbidity among users. It is important to evaluate the risks involved at every stage of its application to bring improvement in the standard of healthcare. For the purpose Materiovigilance Program of India was launched on July 6, 2015. Despite these efforts, available data suggests that reporting of adverse events is very low. The present study aims to identify barriers that influence the reporting of adverse events of medical devices and outline a strategy to overcome these barriers. Systemic review method has been adopted to achieve these ends. Thirty-one papers have been selected based on the inclusion criteria related to objective of the study. Lack of awareness, attitude, and resources are found to be major barriers at the individual level for not reporting adverse effects of medical devices. The organizational factors such as hierarchical set up, lack of time and incentives, and furthermore lack of industry responsiveness have been identified as prominent barriers to the reporting of adverse events. In order to improve the reporting level, it is important to make access and contact easier with the reporting system. Engaging healthcare professionals at various levels by acknowledging and appreciating their contribution. The adverse events of medical devices should not be restricted to physicians; only rather other health care professional such as nurses, pharmacists, and technicians should also be encouraged to report any adverse event of medical devices.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Materiovigilance Among Healthcare Professionals at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

Objective This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of materiovigilance among healthcare professionals (HCPs) at a tertiary care teaching hospital in South Gujarat, India. Specifically, it sought to identify gaps in current understanding and reporting practices related to adverse events associated with medical devices. Introduction Materiovigilance, the systematic monitoring and assessment of adverse events related to medical devices, is crucial for ensuring patient safety and enhancing device performance. In India, the Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare oversees the safe use of medical devices, integrating them with the pharmacovigilance framework. Despite these efforts, challenges persist in awareness, reporting practices, and the integration of materiovigilance among healthcare professionals. The knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of these professionals are pivotal for effective adverse event reporting, but underreporting due to a lack of awareness, inadequate training, and perceived administrative burden remains a significant barrier. The study underscores the importance of training programs, improving reporting infrastructure, and fostering a safety culture within healthcare institutions to enhance the effectiveness of materiovigilance in India. Methodology An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire-based approach. A total of 215 HCPs, including consultant doctors, resident doctors, and nursing staff, participated in the study. The questionnaire covered aspects of knowledge regarding the Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI), classification of medical devices, attitudes towards adverse event reporting, and actual reporting practices. Data collection was carried out electronically over the course of one month using Google Forms (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States). Results Among the participants, 135 (62.79%) correctly identified MvPI as the program for monitoring adverse events caused by medical devices. A majority of 188 (87.44%) understood that medical devices in India are classified based on a risk-based approach. Positive attitudes towards reporting adverse events were prevalent, with 202 (93.95%) acknowledging the potential for adverse events from medical devices and agreeing on the importance of reporting. However, a significant gap was noted between noticing adverse events (138 participants, 64.19%) and actual reporting (60 participants, 27.91%), indicating a need for improved reporting practices. Only 104 participants (48.37%) had participated in workshops or continuing medical education (CME) sessions on medical device safety. Conclusion The study reveals a strong foundation of knowledge and positive attitudes towards the materiovigilance among HCPs in South Gujarat. However, there is a notable discrepancy between awareness and actual reporting practices. To enhance the effectiveness of materiovigilance, interventions such as targeted educational programs and simplification of reporting procedures are recommended. These efforts are essential to ensure timely detection, reporting, and management of adverse events related to medical devices, thereby enhancing patient safety and overall healthcare quality.

Study on the impact of sensitization on materiovigilance programme among pharmacy and dental postgraduate students

BACKGROUND

Medical devices play a crucial role in patient care but entail inherent risks, necessitating the presence of materiovigilance to monitor and prevent medical device adverse events (MDAEs). The primary objective of our study is to evaluate the impact of an awareness and sensitization program regarding medical devices among participants.

METHODS

A self-administered, validated knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire consisting of 15 questions was distributed to study participants, and their responses were collected. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 18.

RESULTS

Out of the 182 responses received, 56% were from the Pharmacy, while 44% were from the Dental field. 64.8% of the participants were unaware of the Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI). However, an overwhelming 97.5% displayed a positive attitude towards reporting MDAEs. Only 5% of the participants had received training on how to report MDAEs. Furthermore, 85.71% of participants had not seen the MDAE reporting form.

CONCLUSION

To improve the reporting of MDAEs, it is essential to implement educational interventions and provide training to Pharmacy and Dental postgraduate students. These measures will increase awareness and promote better understanding and implementation of materiovigilance practices.

Current Scenario and Future Prospects of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) Monitoring and Reporting Mechanisms in the Rural Areas of India

BACKGROUND

Pharmacovigilance (PV) deals with the detection, collection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects associated with drugs. The objective of PV is to ensure the safety of the medicines and patients by monitoring and reporting all adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with prescribed medicine usage. Findings have indicated that about 0.2- 24% of hospitalization cases are due to ADRs, of which 3.7% of patients have lethal ADRs. The reasons include the number of prescribed drugs, an increased number of new medicines in the market, an inadequate PV system for ADR monitoring, and a need for more awareness and knowledge about ADR reporting. Severe ADRs lead to enhanced hospital stays, increased treatment costs, risk of death, and many medical and economic consequences. Therefore, ADR reporting at its first instance is essential to avoid further harmful effects of the prescribed drugs. In India, the rate of ADR reporting is less than 1%, whereas worldwide, it is 5% due to a need for more awareness about PV and ADR monitoring among healthcare providers and patients. The main objective of this review is to highlight the current scenario and possible futuristic ways of ADR reporting methods in rural areas of India. We have searched the literature using PubMed, Google scholar, Indian citation index to retrieve the resources related to ADR monitoring and reporting in India's urban and rural areas. Spontaneous reporting is the most commonly used PV method to report ADRs in India's urban and rural areas. Evidence revealed that no effective ADR reporting mechanisms developed in rural areas causing underreporting of ADR, thus increasing the threat to the rural population. Hence, PV and ADR reporting awareness among healthcare professionals and patients, telecommunication, telemedicine, use of social media and electronic medical records, and artificial intelligence are the potential approaches for prevention, monitoring, and reporting of ADRs in rural areas.

Materiovigilance in Perspective: Understanding Its Concept and Practice in the Global Healthcare System

Materiovigilance (Mv) has the same purpose and approach in ensuring patient safety as pharmacovigilance but deals with medical devices associated with adverse events (MDAEs) and their monitoring. Mv has been instrumental in recalling many defective or malfunctioning devices based on their safety data. All MDAEs, such as critical or non-critical, known, or unknown, those with inadequate or incomplete specifications, and frequent or rare events should be reported and evaluated. Mv helps to improve medical devices' design and efficiency profile and avoid device-related complications and associated failures. It alerts consumers and health professionals regarding counterfeit or substandard devices. Common events reported through Mv are device breakage and malfunction, entry- and exit-site infections, organ perforations or injuries, need for surgery and even death, and life cycle assessment of devices. Health authorities globally have developed reporting frameworks with timeframes for MDAEs, such as MedWatch in the USA, MedSafe in New Zealand, and others. Health professionals and consumers need to be made aware of the significance of Mv in ensuring the safe use of medical devices and getting familiar with the reporting procedures and action plans in case of a device-induced adverse event.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Materiovigilance among Nurses at a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objective

Inadequate knowledge and underreporting of medical device-associated adverse events (MDAEs) were observed among health-care professionals (HCPs) in studies carried out in other countries. In India, HCP's knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding materiovigilance have not been explored extensively. Hence, the present study was carried out to assess KAP of materiovigilance among nurses working in a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India.

Materials and Methods

This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted among nurses. A self-administered, validated questionnaire was distributed to 420 nurses. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 21.0. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare KAP score of materiovigilance among the study participants.

Results

A total of 400 (95.2%) responses were received. About 65.7% (n = 263) of nurses were having adequate knowledge about the various aspects of materiovigilance and 80.5% (n = 322) of nurses had a positive attitude toward MDAE reporting. However, only 18 (4.5%) of nurses have reported about MDAEs. Further, factors such as uncertainty on how to report a MDAE and concerns about their legal issues significantly led to underreporting of MDAEs.

Conclusion

The transition of adequate knowledge and positive attitude to good practice of MDAE reporting was lacking among the study participants. Hence, with due consideration of these deficits and the various factors influencing MDAE reporting, it is necessary to conduct periodical workshops and training sessions for HCPs to enhance their spontaneous reporting of MDAEs.

Materiovigilance Programme of India: Current status and way forward

Postmarketing vigilance system for medical devices in India is not as vigorous as of drugs. W Materiovigilance involves post marketing surveillance of adverse events caused by medical devices. As per directive of WHO, many countries including India have established their own post marketing surveillance system. In India it is known as Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI). This article reviews the current state of MvPI, compares it with developed countries, identifies gaps, and recommends specific measure to strengthen the existing program.

A global comparison of implementation and effectiveness of materiovigilance program: overview of regulations

Medical devices, being life-saving tools, are considered to be a boon for healthcare system. However, in addition to their therapeutic effects, there are several ill consequences that are caused by these devices. An effective cohort vigilant system was needed to manage such adverse effects. This had led to the introduction of materiovigilance. Materiovigilance is the study and follow-up of occurrences that arise as a result from the usage of the medical equipment. It not only manages adverse events (AE) but also creates harmonization among countries. Keeping these objectives in focus, the principles, perspectives, and practices with regard to materiovigilance that are followed in the USA, Europe, China, Japan, Australia, Canada, and India are being compared. Such a comparison is essential, which will help us to understand the gaps in the current regulatory systems in the above-mentioned countries and furthermore will provide a comprehensive picture to the regulatory authorities to amend any existing laws if required. These amendments may ensure optimal patient safety by providing them a benign experience from the use of medical devices.

Review of Adverse Reactions Associated with the Use of Common Diagnostic Radiopharmaceuticals

Radiopharmaceuticals are used in the diagnosis and management of various diseases. There are several reports of adverse reactions related to the use of radiopharmaceuticals, though it is not as common as conventional drugs. Adverse reactions related to radiopharmaceuticals have been not widely reported and documented. In this review, we have tried to summarize the adverse reactions associated with some of the commonly used radiopharmaceuticals.