The Awareness of and Adherence to the Pregnancy Prevention Program for Oral Retinoids: A Questionnaire Survey in Denmark

Dana Backran, Sophia Ahmad, Johanne M. Hansen, Anna Birna Almarsdóttir, Ramune Jacobsen*

*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the awareness of oral retinoid teratogenicity and the adherence to the pregnancy prevention program (PPP) related to oral retinoid use by physicians, pharmacists, and patients in Denmark. Methods: As part of the multi-country survey, web-based questionnaires were distributed among Danish dermatologists, general practitioners, community pharmacists, and women of childbearing age, who were using or had used oral retinoids within the past 5 years. Results: A total of 62 physicians, 96 pharmacists, and 50 oral retinoid using women responded; 95%, 100%, and 98%, respectively, were aware of the teratogenic risks of oral retinoids. For physicians, the most applied PPP measures were the usage of the patient (44%) and the healthcare professional (19%) guides, while the least applied measure was signing medication risk awareness form (3%). Among the pharmacists, the warning sign on the outer medication package was the most used measure (45%). Among the women, a majority (90%) had read the patient information leaflet included in the medication package and 72% discussed the use of contraception with their healthcare provider, while risk awareness forms and patient cards were seen by only few. Conclusions: In Denmark, physicians, pharmacists, and medicine users were aware about the teratogenic effects of oral retinoids. Adherence to pregnancy prevention measures varied, suggesting unwillingness to use the measures that require patients' signatures among physicians and a lack of awareness of pharmacy targeting measures. Accessibility of the latter measures need to be optimized to improve the safety of oral retinoid use.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere70023
JournalPharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
Volume33
Issue number10
Number of pages10
ISSN1053-8569
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

  • Denmark
  • healthcare professionals
  • oral retinoids
  • patients
  • pharmacists
  • pregnancy prevention
  • questionnaires

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