Mobile applications, a promising new route for reporting

Offering a simplified reporting form through an app shows to be a promising new way to collect Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSRs). A recently published study shows that an app attracts patients to report. Reports submitted through an app are similar to reports from conventional routes in terms of characteristics and quality.

In the WEB-RADR project an app was developed to facilitate reporting to spontaneous reporting systems. It uses a simplified reporting form and is available for healthcare professionals and patients. The app was launched in the UK, the Netherlands and Croatia. The reports received through the app were evaluated in terms of characteristics, quality and contribution to signal detection. The study showed that patient demographics are similar to those reported through conventional routes. The quality of reported information is sufficient despite a simplified reporting form. In addition, the app reports show potential in contributing to signal detection.

The app will be further developed through the WEB-RADR 2 project. 

Reference: Oosterhuis I.,Taavola H, Tregunno P. et al. Characteristics, Quality and Contribution to Signal Detection of Spontaneous reports of Adverse Drug Reactions Via the WEB-RADR Mobile application: A descriptive Cross-Sectional Study. Drug Saf. 2018 May [Epub ahead of print].