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A Network Map To Predict Drug Side Effects
This is an infographic of 1,241 known and predicted side effects of 656 drugs currently on the market. It’s the result of this new analysis method by UCSF researchers and SeaChange Pharmaceuticals.
Like Mark Wilson notes at FastCo, most drugs are more like shotguns than sniper rifles. They hit their target but often a lot more. Yellow dots are drugs, blue dots are their molecular targets, and red and gray lines are predicted and verified interactions, respectively.
With greater power to predict side effects, the design and prescription of drugs will be made safer. Maybe those scary voiceovers in TV ads for drugs will get shorter?
There’s good indications it will work, too. Of the predicted side effects found in this new study, the team was able to confirm 151 new interactions in the lab. Avoiding some of these could save pain, money and even lives.
(via Co.Design)
