The Awareness and Adherence of the Valproate Pregnancy Prevention Program: A Questionnaire Survey among Healthcare Professionals, Pharmacists, and Patients in Denmark

Abstract

Background: The European Medicine Agency (EMA) provided additional recommendations regarding the use of valproate during pregnancy in 2018 by introducing a pregnancy prevention program (PPP). This study aimed to investigate the adherence and the impact of the PPP and the awareness of valproate teratogenicity among Danish healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients. Methods: As part of the EMA initiated multi-country survey, web-based questionnaires were distributed among Danish general practitioners (GPs), medical specialists, pharmacists, and patients. Results: A total of 90 prescribers, 98 pharmacists, and 103 patients were included in the study. Some 95.0% of the prescribers, 78.6% of the pharmacists, and 81.6% of the patients were aware of the teratogenic risks of valproate. The patient guide (27.8%), the HCP guide (23.3%), direct healthcare professional communication (23.3%), and the warning sign on the outer medication package (23.5%) were the most applied measures from the PPP. A total of 54.4% of the prescribers and 32.7% of the pharmacists informed patients about the importance of effective contraception during the use of valproate. Conclusion: The study showed that in Denmark HCPs and patients are highly aware of the teratogenic effects of valproate. However, adherence to and the impact of the measures included in the PPP were low.