Dear All,
My Problem - the interpretation of the drug labels in DrugBank:
I can parse the drugbank.xml file (DrugBank Version 5.0.11, newest version), and thus I have the drug labels, but I don't know how to best place computationally drugs into the categories "withdrawn", "investigational" and "approved", as a drug might be used for different indications? For example ...
- Thalidomide and Abarelix are both noted as "approved, investigational, withdrawn". Thalidomide has been reintroduced on the Market for other uses (hence no longer withdrawn), but Abarelix is definetly withdrawn. Hence, I don't see how I can place Thalidomide under "withdrawn" as its description clearly states that it is currently on the market, yet at the same time, I don't want to go through all the descriptions and check the labels.
- It is possible for a drug to be approved for one indication and investigated for another indication and thus have the label "approved, investigational". But how can I be sure that this drug is investigated for different indications?
Is there any way to tell whether a drug is withdrawn for one indication and used for another, e.g. like Thalidomide? Or should I just classify Thalidomide as "withdrawn" based on the label?
I am sorry, if this seems trivial. If more information is required, please ask! Best wishes and many thanks for any help, Leanna
PS: Please find here the description of the Drug labels, as described here: https://www.drugbank.ca/documentation
- Withdrawn : a previously approved drug that has been withdrawn from the market in at least one jurisdiction, at some point in time. Note that because a drug can be approved in one jurisdiction, and withdrawn in another, it's possible for a drug to be in both groups
- Investigational: A drug that is in some phase of the drug approval process in at least one jurisdiction.
- Approved: A drug that has been approved in at least one jurisdiction, at some point in time.
