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KMID : 0606320080240010027
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Journal of Phamacetical Sciences Sookmyung Women s University
2008 Volume.24 No. 1 p.27 ~ p.35
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Predictive Estimation on the Annual Incidence of Fatal Adverse Drug Reaction Cases in Korea
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Lee Joo-Hyun
Jun Hyo-Jung
Shin Hyun-Taek
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Abstract
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Medication related morbidity and mortality has been recognized as one of the most significant healthcare problems which create heavy socioeconomic burden word-widely. Most of fatal adverse drug reaction (ADR) cases are known to be preventable when cautious preventive measures are given to patients at the stages of prescribing, dispensing and administering medications. This study was aimed to get a predictive estimation on the annual rate and size of medication related deaths (or fatal ADR cases) in Korea by comparing the infrastructures in healthcare system for medication safety between countries and inferring the mortality rates in the literatures. Broad scope of literatures related to medication mortality were collected and analyzed to produce the best possible, but minimal rate of mortality for hospital admission. To infer the minimal rate of fatal ADR cases, the infrastructures for medication safety in Korea were compared with those of two other countries (USA and UK). To support the evidence for fatal ADR cases in Korea, various information sources were collected from the literatures describing ADR incidences in the hospitals, ADR report data which were filed at national pharmacovigilance center (KFDA) and the fatal ADR cases which were reported to Korea Consumer Agency. In comparing the over all infrastructures of Korea for medication safety with those of other selected countries, it was concluded that the mortality rate will be much higher than those of other countries in the study due to the absences or insufficiencies of professional measures and systems to prevent medication error in hospitals and community pharmacies. One of most serious weaknesses was on the great shortage of pharmacists in hospitals. In estimating the minimal number of medication related deaths in Korea, the minimal mortality rates were applied to the data of annual hospitalizations. The predictive annual number of fatal ADR cases was 17,664, showing serious medication safety problem in the country. Since it is evident that significant numbers of drug consumer are suffering from serious ADR leading to the death and many cases may be preventable, it is recommended that every possible measures to improve medication safety should be urgently implemented in Korea.
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KEYWORD
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medication safety, adverse drug reaction, mortality
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