CAN the pharmaceutical industry avoid another Vioxx? The painkiller was pulled from the market in 2004 when it became clear that it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Tens of thousands of people sued, forcing its manufacturer, Merck, to pay $4.85 billion to settle the cases. If there were a way of spotting side effects missed by clinical trials it would save lives and money.
Now computing experts say they have one. Though not foolproof, it provides a relatively quick and easy method for zeroing in on some of the side effects that existing tests miss.
The inspiration…
