Regional research priorities for medication safety and pharmacovigilance in gulf cooperation council countries: a...

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and medication errors remain major global threats to patient safety. Although Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have advanced medication safety and pharmacovigilance programs, research priorities remain fragmented and lack expert consensus. To establish consensus on medication safety and pharmacovigilance research priorities across GCC countries using a modified Delphi approach. A two-round, web-based modified Delphi study was conducted between November 2024 and September 2025. Experts from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates were recruited based on professional experience. Participants rated research priorities using a 9-point Likert scale. Consensus was defined as ≥ 80% of participants rating an item 7-9 and < 15% rating it 1-3. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and qualitative feedback informed item refinement. A total of 38 experts completed both Delphi rounds (response rate: 79.2%). In Round 1, 30 out of 47 priorities (63.8%) achieved consensus. In Round 2, five additional items reached consensus, resulting in a final set of 35 priorities (74.5%). The highest agreement was observed in the Healthcare Professionals domain (100%), followed by Medicines (77.8%), Patients and the Public (72.7%), and Systems and Practices (69.6%). Key priorities included addressing inappropriate polypharmacy, improving human factors and system design, enhancing patient safety at home, and strengthening reporting and surveillance systems. This Delphi study identified regional research priorities to guide medication safety and pharmacovigilance efforts across the GCC. The findings offer a structured research agenda to inform policy, funding decisions, and institutional strategies, while supporting global patient safety goals.