Adverse Drug Events (ADE)

Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) are any harmful or unintended reactions that occur when a patient is given a drug or medication. ADEs are a major cause of hospitalizations and deaths worldwide and have been estimated to cause up to 3.6 million hospitalizations and 100,000 deaths in the US each year. ADEs are the primary cause of drug-related morbidity and mortality associated with prescription medicines, over-the-counter medications, and herbal remedies. As such, they have become a major focus of research and prevention efforts in the medical field. The main objectives of ADE research are to identify risk factors, predict patient responses to medications, improve communication between healthcare providers and patients, and reduce the occurrence of adverse drug events. This understanding of how drugs interact with the body can then be used to inform drug design, improve patient safety and ensure better quality of care.