Amberg, A. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2025

PharmAverse: An Interactive Dashboard Using MedDRA Hierarchy

The Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) is a standardized international medical terminology widely used in databases that collect adverse event data for drugs. MedDRA employs a hierarchical structure, allowing for analysis at different levels of granularity. However, as the volume of adverse event data continues to grow, and given MedDRAs complexity, it becomes increasingly challenging to analyze, and visualize the information effectively. To address this, PharmAverse was developed--an interactive dashboard designed to facilitate the analysis and visualization of adverse event data using MedDRA terms. It offers three main views: Adverse Events, Drug, and Target.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2018

Cancer In The News: Bias And Quality In Media Reporting Of Cancer Research.

Cancer research in the news is often associated with sensationalising and inaccurate reporting, giving rise to false hopes and expectations. The role of study selection for cancer-related news stories is an important but less commonly acknowledged issue, as the outcomes of primary research are generally less reliable than those of meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Few studies have investigated the quality of research that makes the news and no previous analyses of the proportions of primary and secondary research in the news have been found in the literature. The main aim of this study was to investigate the nature and quality of cancer research covered in online news reports by four major news sources from USA, UK and Australia. We measured significant variation in reporting quality, and observed biases in many aspects of cancer research reporting, including the types of study selected for coverage, and in the spectrum of cancer types, gender of scientists, and geographical source of research represented. We discuss the implications of these finding for guiding accurate, contextual reporting of cancer research, which is critical in helping the public understand complex science and appreciate the outcomes of publicly funded research, avoid undermining trust in science, and assist informed decision-making.

scientific communication and education↗