Public-focused Pharmacovigilance Mobile Software: Comparison and Evaluation

Introduction: Medications can lead to severe health complications including adverse drug reactions, a major cause of mortality globally. Pharmacovigilance plays a critical role in identifying, evaluating, and mitigating these risks. While mobile medical apps present new opportunities for enhancing medication safety, there is a recognized need for better pharmacovigilance support within these applications. This study assesses the role of medical applications in pharmacovigilance and drug safety with the goal of enhancing these applications and bridging the gap between their current offerings and patient needs. Methods: This mixed-methods study developed a pharmacovigilance concept specifically for public-use mobile applications, identifying six key aspects related to patient needs. These aspects guided the creation of an investigation form which was then used to evaluate nine selected apps. Discussion: The findings showed a high degree of similarity among the apps, with significant gaps between their features and the actual needs of users. Most apps were limited to providing medication reminders, with only a few offerings information on safety alerts or drug interaction verification. The study recommends addressing these gaps and enhancing the capabilities of drug vigilance applications by providing comprehensive and credible information services tailored to patient needs, thus improving the effectiveness of health applications in drug vigilance. Conclusion: Mobile applications have the potential to significantly improve pharmacovigilance and medication safety. However, existing apps have notable gaps. Collaboration between developers and healthcare professionals is essential to improve these apps and prioritize pharmacovigilance in all health-related mobile applications.