This study has demonstrated acceptable construct validity of the EQ-5D among the Malaysian population.

Objective  The objective of this study was to ascertain the perception of practising community pharmacists (CPs) towards adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reporting and to identify the problems with the current system in place for ADR reporting in Malaysia. Methods  A qualitative study utilizing face‐to‐face interviews was carried out with a sample of 16 CPs, aged 24–38 years old, all living in Penang, Malaysia. The transcripts of all the interviews were generated from audio tapes and were analysed for issues and themes emerging from the text which was independently coded and verified by two researchers. Key findings  A total of 16 CPs were interviewed and analysis of the interviews revealed three major themes: familiarity with the ADR reporting process, attitudes and behaviours of the CPs towards ADR reporting, and barriers associated with ADR reporting. In terms of the familiarity with the pharmacovigilance system and ADR reporting, the majority of the pharmacists were not aware that the pharmacovigilance system was already in place in Malaysia. The majority of the CPs had a positive attitude and behaviour towards their role in ADR reporting and the main reason given for this was that reporting of ADRs was seen as one of their core duties. The major barrier to ADR reporting was a lack of knowledge about ADR reporting processes. To increase ADR reporting rates, some participants suggested that educational interventions are needed from organizations such the Malaysian Adverse Drug Reaction Advisory Committeee (MADRAC) and academia. Conclusion  Most of the pharmacists interviewed were confused about ADR reporting and had very little knowledge about it. The information gained from this study emphasizes the importance of establishing and continuing efforts to promote the ADR reporting system in Malaysia.

Objective: (1) To report the awareness on MRP and its utilization rate. (2) To assess environment awareness with regards to improper disposal. (3) To explore practices toward unused medication. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 33 out-patient pharmacies in Sabah healthcare facilities. Quota sampling was used to recruit 244 subjects. Data collector from each facility was identified and trained prior to data collection. Self-reporting questionnaire captured data of socio-demographic, awareness on MRP and patient's knowledge and practice towards unused medication. Independent t-test and chi square test were performed to detect differences and association. Result: Subject mean (SD) age was 45.1(15.5) years and almost two-third (60%) of the subjects were female. Majority (73%, 95%CI 67-78%) knew that inappropriate disposal of medication will cause environmental hazard. Only 54% (95% CI 47-60%) had heard of MRP, 26% (95%CI 21-32%) had utilized MRP to return unused medication.Subject's awareness on environmental hazard and MRP were associated with their practice to return unused medication (p=0.001 and p<0.001 respectively). Mean years of education and median family income were significantly different between the aware and unaware group respectively [11.3(6.0) vs 8.9(4.5) yrs, p=0.003; RM2000 vs RM1260, p<0.001]. The most common unused medication were analgesics (27.1%), antihypertensive (24.4%), antiglycemic (14.7%) and supplements (12%). The two predominant methods to "dispose" unused medication at home were through garbage (47.8%) and return to healthcare facilities (30.0%). Conclusion: This study has established the evidence for public awareness on MRP, environment awareness and disposal practice of Malaysian citizen. Creative and innovative recommendations have been made for MRP promotion and to improve public knowledge on safety disposal of unused medication.

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Background Cardiovascular diseases, the main causes of hospitalisations and death globally, have put an enormous economic burden on the healthcare system. Several risk factors are associated with the occurrence of cardiovascular events. At the heart of efficient prevention of cardiovascular disease is the concept of risk assessment. This paper aims to review the available cardiovascular risk-assessment tools and its applicability in predicting cardiovascular risk among Asian populations. Methods A systematic search was performed using keywords as MeSH and Boolean terms. Results A total of 25 risk-assessment tools were identified. Of these, only two risk-assessment tools (8%) were derived from an Asian population. These riskassessment tools differ in various ways, including characteristics of the derivation sample, type of study, time frame of follow-up, end points, statistical analysis and risk factors included. Conclusions Very few cardiovascular risk-assessment tools were developed in Asian populations. In order to accurately predict the cardiovascular risk of our population, there is a need to develop a risk-assessment tool based on local epidemiological data.