# \[e-drug\] Consumer reports on medicines (cont) **URL:** https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-consumer-reports-on-medicines-cont/9170 **Category:** e-drug **Created:** [September 24, 2000, 8:17pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-consumer-reports-on-medicines-cont/9170 "2000-09-24T20:17:10Z") **Posts on this page:** 1 **Page:** 1
### Author: ![DOUGLAS\_BALL2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@DOUGLAS\_BALL2](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/DOUGLAS_BALL2) #### Post date: [September 24, 2000, 8:17pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-consumer-reports-on-medicines-cont/9170/1 "2000-09-24T20:17:10Z")
E-drug: Consumer reports on medicines (cont) --------------------------------------------- - Next weekend (29 September - 1 October) there will be a conference on Consumer Reports on Medicines in Sigtuna, Sweden. To have a virtual input in the discussion, maybe E-druggers would like to contemplate the following questions: - How could consumers contribute to greater drug safety in your country? In a study in Zimbabwe where GPs and private pharmacists were asked to report suspected ADRs, the pharmacists highlighted that one problem was that the patients did not know that they should tell anyone about any adverse effects with their medicines. They claimed patients either just accepted it or stopped the drug unilaterally or went to their doctor if it was serious. ADR reporting (in voluntary schemes at least) would be increased if consumers were aware that there is a value in telling health workers about untoward effects with medicines (and perhaps pressuring them to report it to the national centre). The question is what is the most efficient way to achieve this and whether it is a priority. Regards Douglas Ball Drug & Toxicology Information Service Dept of Pharmacy University of Zimbabwe PO Box A178 Avondale Harare, Zimbabwe Tel: 263-4-790233 Fax: 263-4-790233 or 795019 e-mail: dball@healthnet.zw -- Send mail for the `E-Drug' conference to `e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'. Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'. For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.