Finding which medications cause harmful side effects by linking medical papers and health records
Using the literature to build causal models of retrospective observational data
This project combines published medical knowledge with electronic health records to better find which drugs cause harmful side effects for people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albuquerque, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144587 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use information extracted from published medical papers together with de-identified electronic health records to look for real cause-and-effect links between drug exposures and bad outcomes. They will build computer models that explicitly try to account for hidden factors that can confuse simple comparisons. By guiding those models with relationships seen in the medical literature, the team hopes to improve detection of true medication side effects in routine care data. The work focuses on drug safety and patterns relevant to Alzheimer’s disease using existing records rather than new treatments or clinic visits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with Alzheimer’s disease whose de-identified electronic health records are included in participating health systems or research registries.
Not a fit: People without detailed electronic health records, those not represented in the data sources, or anyone expecting immediate changes to their own treatment are unlikely to receive direct personal benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors and patients spot which medicines truly cause harm and improve medication safety decisions.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work by the team and related projects has shown promise that combining literature-derived knowledge with causal models can better detect side effects in health records, though wider validation is still needed.
Where this research is happening
Albuquerque, United States
- University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr — Albuquerque, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Malec, Scott Alexander — University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr
- Study coordinator: Malec, Scott Alexander
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.