This work is discussing how digital technologies have been applied in the global response to managing adverse drug reactions (ADRs), which are unwanted or toxic effects of drugs. Utilizing a bibliometric approach, authors examined nearly 800 academic papers published between the years 1991 and 2023. They found that there was a sudden upswing in related studies in recent decades, especially since 2019. This speaks volumes about how there is mounting reliance on virtual tools—such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and natural language processing—to monitor drug safety in real time.
The studies identify that the United States, China, and the United Kingdom are leaders in this field with the top institutions and funding agencies investing in new health data systems. Common digital tools include electronic health records, virtual modeling of toxicity prediction, computerized drug interaction detectors, and patient-reported outcome analysis on social media. All these methods not only assist in early detection of ADRs but also in individualized treatment regimens and safer prescribing.
Overall, the paper shows how health information technologies are transforming pharmacovigilance—the science of drug safety—making it faster, more accurate, and worldwide collaborative. The innovation improves public health and opens doors to new ways of using existing drugs safely and efficiently.
Full text: Olena Litvinova, Andy Wai Kan Yeung, Fabian Peter Hammerle, Michel-Edwar Mickael, Maima Matin, Maria Kletecka-Pulker, Atanas G Atanasov, Harald Willschke, Digital Technology Applications in the Management of Adverse Drug Reactions: Bibliometric Analysis, Pharmaceuticals (Basel), 2024 Mar 19;17(3):395. doi: 10.3390/ph17030395