MIT will put its expertise in automated systems to work for the FDA, creating a new program that will scan a score of databases for signs of drug safety issues. Much of that work is done by hand currently, a laborious system that can often take months to deliver results. MIT is putting the process into real-time, data mining federal and private databases, including the pharmaceutical data gathered by insurers. This new system will build on models for the identification of infectious disease outbreaks, bioterror attacks or bird flu.
- here's the AP report [1] on MIT
Links:
[1] http://www.forbes.com/technology/feeds/ap/2006/08/17/ap2957882.html