* No more than one in five doctors is aware that MHRA regulates medicines and devices, though half (52%) of the pharmacists know that.
* Reporting of problems varies greatly. Over 8 in 10 GPs and pharmacists say they would notify the MHRA or use its YellowCard scheme to report an adverse reaction to a medicine but only 6 in 10 hospital physicians and a quarter of nurses would do that. Only about 1 surgeon in 5 would contact the MHRA about an adverse incident with a device.
* Healthcare professionals put pharmacists at or near the top of their list of most trusted sources of information around the risks and benefits of medicines.

Professor Kent Woods, Chief Executive of MHRA said:


"We welcome these findings and are reassured by the public's confidence in medicines and medical devices. We are equally encouraged by some of the views of healthcare professionals, especially their awareness of reporting problems with medicines. This research shows us some of the gaps in knowledge of our work – such as the reporting of adverse incidents with medical devices – and we are now looking for the best ways of increasing the understanding both of the public and of healthcare professionals about our work."

Michele Corrado, Director of Health and Social Research at Ipsos MORI said:

"This systematic examination of the general public’s and health care professionals’ views by MHRA gives them a good steer on level of confidence in medicines and medical devices. Amongst health professionals, confidence in regulation of medicines and devices is currently very high. Also, far more members of the public say the benefits of medicines and devices outweigh the risks than feel the risks outweigh the benefits. These findings provide an extremely good platform for MHRA to track views at this fundamentally important time of NHS reforms and debate around health policy.”



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