Effective communication in Pharmacovigilance | Pharmacovigilance Notes of Unit 3
Communication:
The act of sharing or exchanging information, ideas or feelings.
Principles of Good Pharmacovigilance Communication
Relate the messages to the audience’s perspective
Avoid comparisons which trivialize the concern
Ensure completeness of the message
Be balanced, honest and sympathetic
Focus on the specific issue that needs to be handled
Pay attention to what the audience already knows
Be respectful of people’s right to be concerned
Be honest about the limits to scientific knowledge
Acknowledge uncertainty
Evaluate the impact of your message
Effective Communication in Pharmacovigilance
One can achieve effective way of communication just by following the principles of good pharmacovigilance communication.
Why do we need to improve our communication?
Improve patient care and understanding
Eradicate disease / improve disease control
Promote transparency and accountability
Why do Communications matter in Drug Safety?
For Welfare of millions of people worldwide
To overcome Extreme dangers of failure
Communications are commonly poorly executed, second-rate and ineffective, so to improve the quality.
Communication Challenges:
The importance of ADRs and reporting them
Information about benefit – harm and effectiveness – risk
Encouraging rational drug use/adherence
Communicating uncertainty
Dealing with traditional beliefs and practices
Involving patients; reaching informed consent
Preventing or resolving crises
Qualities of Modern Communications:
Intimacy
Immediacy and high impact
Peer-to-peer
Addressing competition and low attention levels
Benefits
Planning Communications:
Today’s modern standards and methods
Simple, clear message
Stimulating motivation and offering benefits (including rewards and feedback)
The use of specialist skills and creative imagination
Summary:
• Our communications must:
– Be strong and visible
– Be precisely targeted and tested
– Change attitudes, values, behaviour
– Be followed up and revised