Latest Comments

• It is 2008 and most GPs are prescribing electronically and many are keeping all clinical information electronically. A little blue paper form, Web form or email message, into which we are expected to re-enter the data that we have already sweated to enter into our own clinical systems, is not going to cut it.

  If the TGA was serious about increasing the frequency of reporting of adverse drug reactions, it would have funded the development of a facility that offers to report the details automatically whenever we record in our clinical systems that we have stopped a patient's medication or if we record an adverse reaction to a medication. A small payment of say $10 per report would help to encourage us to push the button to let the report be sent.

  My message to the TGA is: check the calendar and look in through some GPs' windows. Did you know that the Commonwealth is working on a National E-Health Strategy right now?

  Dr Oliver Frank,

  Hampstead Gardens, SA

  Posted by Oliver Frank 5/08/2008 3:49:40 PM

• It would be very simple to increase reporting rates. Bring back the yellow book and mail it out to every GP every three months, so that they can easily find an adverse reactions reporting form. This is another reason why the Yellow book should be re-introduced, but will those Bureaucrats who made the short sighted decision to abolish the yellow book ever be prepared to admit their mistake?

  Dr John de Vries, Brisbane.

  Posted by Dr John de Vries 5/08/2008 3:50:17 PM

• It would be trivial to write a daemon which popped up to seek permission and posted the data to the government, whenever certain triggers happened in the database. Since we have read access to all the popular EHRs we wouldn't even need to involve the vendors. All it needs is someone with a clue and experience with these databases. Where do I apply? Why don't these people come to us and try things the easy way for a change?

  Peter Machell, Brisbane

  Posted by Peter Machell 5/08/2008 3:50:41 PM

• The simplest way to increase drug reporting is to have it built into desktop software. ie patient mentions side effect and we are able to 'click' and report almost instantaneously. A drug adverse reaction is an intense communication issue and to have to turn around and 'fill in a form' is not easy on a busy morning.

  Dr John Parsons, Helensvale Qld.

  Posted by Dr John Parsons 5/08/2008 3:51:11 PM

• I would recommend the addition of a "serendipity" section in the electronic or card form. I had a patient declare that his psoriasis improved greatly following initiation of questran. I am sure there is nothing to this - the drug is not even absorbed- but if other doctors had noted this and had a mechanism to report it (ADRAC already exists) there may be indication to further investigate incidental fortunate outcomes! Alan Watson GP Highbury South Australia

  Posted by Alan Watson 6/08/2008 4:27:28 PM

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