Check before you medicate

Monday 9 May 2005

An Adelaide pharmacist and student has developed software that could help slash drug side-effects.

The software is already helping research into the side-effects of medications used to treat cancer and other diseases. And the inventor hopes to see the software integrated into diagnostic machines.

More than 70,000 Australians are hospitalised each year because of side-effects from their medicine.

Predicting who will suffer from side effects when prescribing medication would save time and money and clear the way for more personalised care.

“We know that differences in people’s genes can explain why some people experience side effects to certain medications and others do not,” says Michael Ward, a PhD student from the newly formed Sansom Institute, at the University of South Australia and one of this year’s Fresh Innovators.

“Sometimes, multiple differences in many genes may be the cause. And this poses considerable diagnostic challenges,” says Michael.

“Currently, testing for these genetic variations is costly, cumbersome and slow,” he says.  

“Identifying these multiple genetic differences quickly and cheaply holds the promise of personalised drug treatments, enabling many distressing side effects to be avoided.”

“This is the much-heralded era of personalised medicine.”

“My software program allows us to scan multiple genes at once. Effectively what used to involve months of laboratory toil is now achieved at the press of a button,” says Michael.

The software can used with existing laboratory equipment so there is no dramatic increase in cost. It is currently being used by researchers at the Sansom Institute to study individual susceptibility to side effects from medications used in the treatment of cancer, mental illness, glaucoma and asthma.

“Our research is particularly being targeted at cancer treatments, where side effects such as vomiting, nausea, and heart failure can impact drastically on the quality of life,” says Michael.”

“If we could predict the side-effects for an individual, we could prescribe something suited to the person – a more personalised approach to healthcare.”

The software is already being used on a case by case basis and the Sanson Institute hopes to set up a diagnostic service using both the new software and the growing database of information on genes linked to drug side-effects.

Michael also hopes the software will be offered to labs around the world, allowing them to speed up their existing portfolio of tests.”

Michael’s dream is that this accelerated testing, with its reduced costs, will become part of the routine in doctors’ rooms, and prevent thousands of hospital admissions each year.

For more information contact Michael Ward t: 08 8302 2757 m: 0402 910 565 e: michael.ward@postgrads.unisa.edu.au