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Editorial
. 2019 Dec 11:10:2042098619894147.
doi: 10.1177/2042098619894147. eCollection 2019.

Precision dosing to avoid adverse drug reactions

Thomas M Polasek  1 , Carl M J Kirkpatrick  2 , Amin Rostami-Hodjegan  3
Affiliations
Editorial

Precision dosing to avoid adverse drug reactions

Thomas M Polasek et al. Ther Adv Drug Saf. .

Abstract

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) have traditionally been managed by trial and error, adjusting drug and dose selection reactively following patient harm. With an improved understanding of ADRs, and the patient characteristics that increase susceptibility, precision medicine technologies enable a proactive approach to ADRs and support clinicians to change prescribing accordingly. This commentary revisits the famous pharmacology-toxicology continuum first postulated by Paracelsus 500 years ago and explains why precision dosing is needed to help avoid ADRs in modern clinical practice. Strategies on how to improve precision dosing are given, including more research to establish better precision dosing targets in the cases of greatest need, easier access to dosing instructions via e-prescribing, improved monitoring of patients with novel biomarkers of drug response, and further application of model-informed precision dosing.

Keywords: adverse drug reactions; medication safety; model-informed precision dosing; precision dosing; precision medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: TMP and ARH are employed by Certara, a company that develops and supplies modelling and simulation software and services to the pharmaceutical industry. CMJK has no conflicts of interest to declare.

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