Development of a combined system for identification and classification of adverse drug reactions: Alerts based on ADR causality and severity (ABACUS)

Abstract

Currently, adverse drug reaction (ADR) causality and severity are assessed using different systems but there is no standard method to combine the results. In this work, a combined ADR causality and severity assessment system, including an online version, was developed. Logical rules were defined to translate the score obtained from the system into three alert zones: green, amber, and red. The alert zones are useful for triaging ADR cases as they help define the seriousness of the ADR and the urgency of the responses required. This new scoring system may be useful for clinicians, investigators, and regulators seeking information on the likelihood of a drug causing an adverse reaction, and whether an adverse reaction is sufficiently dangerous for the drug to be withheld or undergo further investigation.