Adverse drug reactions seen in cancer patients undergoing palliative care treatment at a palliative care center in Alappuzha

Abstract

[5] The adverse drug reactions, which occur as a unintended byproduct of the palliative care treatment, adversely impact the effectiveness of the palliative care received by the patient thus resulting in increased morbidity, decreased pain relief, poor quality of life, and perhaps even increased mortality. The present study aims to study the incidence and types of adverse drug reactions experienced by cancer patients undergoing palliative care in a tertiary care hospital in south India. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was an observational study including 138 palliative care patients with cancer from Pain and Palliative Care OPD, TD Medical College, Alappuzha. The study was done after obtaining Institutional Ethical Committee approval (EC No. 08/2021 dated March 29, 2021) which approved the conduct of the study in the present form for a period of 12 months with the caveat that the IEC should be informed in case of any serious adverse events or in the event of any change in study procedure, site or investigator.