Evaluation of effectiveness of structured teaching-learning module on pharmacovigilance and rational drug therapy: An intervention

Pharmacovigilance; Rational prescription; Medical education, Adverse drug reaction monitoring INTRODUCTION Pharmacovigilance (PV)/drug safety and rational prescribing are relevant to both practitioners and policy-makers but the competency of professionals is still insufficient.111 Situation analysis and literature review show that there is a lack of basic knowledge and training deficit among doctors in areas such as PV/drug safety and prescribing skills. [...]whether they are acquiring the skill to arrive at a rational prescription is doubtful. [...]we must inculcate them with the ability to synthesize and practice skills that directly improve self-directed learning. According to the student's feedback, they had clarity and confidence as to how to write prescription. [10] Medically inefficacious and faulty use of drugs occurs all over the world, more in developing countries.1111 As per the WHO, rational use of drugs implies that the patients receive medications as per their clinical needs, in appropriate doses, for an adequate period of time, at the lowest cost to them and to their community.1121 Rational use of drugs required in every step in the supply use chain of drugs such as selection, procurement, storage, prescribing, dispensing, monitoring, and feedback.1131 The knowledge of drug safety/ PV and the increased awareness in the ADRs reporting are essential for the medical practitioner's right from their medical schools.1141 The process of prescribing rationally includes establishing diagnosis or provisional diagnosis, defining treatment problems, and treatment goals to be achieved.1151 Then, prescribers must select a drug category that can achieve each goal and then identify drugs from the selected category based on efficacy, safety, suitability, and cost.