Information and clinical pharmacology: Role of the computer

Abstract

The author notes the need for information from a variety of sources in order to support decision processes of the clinical pharmacologist. One of the data-bases urgently required is a central collection of drug information, which includes quantitative pharmacokinetic data as well as qualitative data and which would be used in evaluating complex drug interactions as well as uncomplicated adverse reactions.

The need to be able to link these data-bases with others is noted. The need to develop professional consensus on data-base structure algorithms and the lexicon of terms used to create such systems is discussed. The role of the various professional societies is suggested with the observation that examples of this kind of effort and an awareness of the need for its existence are on hand.

Dans cet article, l'auteur insiste sur la necessite de posseder des informations de provenances diverses pour prendre des decisions en pharmacologic clinique. La base de donnés la plus importante est celle qui contient les informations pharmaco-cinetiques, aussi bien quantitatives que qualitatives a partir desquelles pourront ětre évaluées les effets secondaires des drogues et leurs interactions.

Pour obtenir de telles bases de donnés, il est nécessaire d'obtenir, de la part des utilisateurs, un consensus sur les structures, les algorythmes de traitements et le vocabulaire employe. Le role des differentes associations se consacrant a la pharmacologic est examine.

Key Words:

• Drug information
• Data-bases
• Clinical pharmacology
• Structure
• Algorithms
• Standards