How are Drug Interactions Studied in Epidemiology?
Epidemiologists use various methods to study drug interactions:
Observational Studies: Cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies help identify potential drug interactions in real-world settings. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs): These are the gold standard for establishing causality but may not always detect rare interactions due to limited sample sizes. Pharmacovigilance: Post-marketing surveillance systems like the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collect data on ADRs, which can be analyzed to identify new drug interactions. Meta-analyses: Combining data from multiple studies can provide more robust estimates of interaction effects.
