Monitoring adverse drug reactions: a preliminary study.

The feasibility of family physicians functioning as monitors of adverse drug reactions (ADR) was examined over one month in ten practices. This was done as a preliminary trial, before attempting to use the 200 family physicians of the National Reporting System of the College of Family Physicians of Canada to monitor ADRs on a national basis. Both of these trials were designed to examine the feasibility of family physicians acting as prospective monitors of ADRs in newly marketed drugs and to identify a drug group suitable for monitoring. This study examined the detection of ADRs, prescribing and practice profiles. No firm conclusion could be reached as to the value of family doctors monitoring ADRs. This study supports the evidence that older patients receive more drugs and are at even greater risk of an ADR. Antibiotics, cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory or antidepressant drugs are suggested as those most suitable for prospective monitoring in a family practice setting.