Online aid to raise awareness of medicine misuse

People will soon be able to share online any bad reactions they have to medication to help reduce mistakes made by patients across Abu Dhabi.The information will go to the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and is expected to become operational by next year. According to HAAD statistics, 1,380 reports of adverse reaction and medication errors were reported in the emirate in 2010, of which 825 were adverse reactions to medicine. A HAAD official however said there was currently no data to support that adverse reactions are on the rise in Abu Dhabi. "However, any drug could cause adverse reactions that are usually listed in the leaflet. So, patients must communicate any allergies they have to drugs to their treating physicians, and also about any other medications they are currently taking. In turn, physicians must enquire with patients about previous incidents of adverse reactions," the official said. In terms of drug categories, adverse reactions are most common in the use of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition, these kinds of reactions are common in children due to their low body weight and other physiological reasons, as well as in patients over the age of 50.The HAAD organised a workshop to educate 50 medical and clinical centre staff from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain about adverse reactions to medicines. The workshop trained people to detect, prevent and report harmful effects arising from medicinal use, as well as to avoid medication errors such as inappropriate dosage. "It currently covers private and public hospitals, as well as 200 medical centres. In future, the programme will additionally cover all medical centres and clinics by the end of 2011. Subsequently the programme will be expanded to community pharmacies and will finally be integrated to include a voluntary public reporting programme to HAAD," said Dr Mohammad Abu Al Khair, from HAAD. From / Gulf News