New Study Predicts Risks of Drug Interactions without Exposing Patients to Harm
Researchers use MedWise® to simulate risks of adding potential COVID-19 treatments into existing drug regimens of Regence Health Plan members, advancing medication safety without exposing patients to repurposed drugs
MOORESTOWN, N.J., May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tabula Rasa HealthCare, Inc. ("TRHC") (NASDAQ: TRHC), a leading healthcare technology company advancing the safe use of medication, and Regence Health Plans today announced the results of a simulation-based clinical study which demonstrates that TRHC's MedWise® medication risk score can be used to assess drug safety without exposing real people to actual harm.
The study, published online in Clinical and Translational Science, used TRHC's proprietary MedWise medications safety technology to virtually assess the potential risk of adverse drug events (ADEs) when adding repurposed drugs for COVID-19 treatment to the individual medications of a large-scale population. The results demonstrate that medication risk scores could be used to effectively assess drug safety before exposing patients to repurposed drugs.
"Through this innovative simulation we have demonstrated the value of our MedWise technology as part of a blueprint to assess the safety of newly prescribed repurposed drugs without exposing real patients to potential harm," said TRHC Chairman and CEO Calvin H. Knowlton, PhD. "By partnering with Regence Health Plans, we have confirmed a powerful preemptive tool to identify individuals at higher risk of adverse drug events, to foresee types of potential risks, and to pin-point drugs to be monitored on an individual level."
The simulated risk assessment examined de-identified medical information from approximately 500,000 Medicare and commercially insured Regence Health Plan members. Researchers determined each person's baseline MedWise Risk Score™ (MRS) and simulated the addition of five drugs repurposed for COVID-19 treatment. The change in the MedWise Risk Score was used as a predictive tool to assess the risk of adverse drug events associated with repurposed drugs for COVID-19.
"Using a simulation-based approach, we are able to apply scientific data on the drugs' mechanisms and metabolisms to determine how these drugs would alter a patient's medication risk score—without putting the patients at risk," said Veronique Michaud, Chief Operating Officer, TRHC Precision Pharmacotherapy Research and Development Institute. "We can use this data to identify patients at higher risk of adverse drug events from large populations. Once identified, our TRHC MedWise Advisor services can provide appropriate individual recommendations to mitigate risk of ADEs."
"We are very pleased to be a part of this novel simulation-based clinical study," said Matthew Hafermann, a Regence's Clinical Pharmacist. "The simulation strategy using a medication risk score represents an innovative approach to furthering patient safety by preemptively estimating the risk of adverse drug events."
About Tabula Rasa HealthCare
Tabula Rasa HealthCare (TRHC) provides medication safety solutions that empower healthcare professionals and consumers to optimize medication regimens, combatting medication overload and reducing adverse drug events – the fourth leading cause of death in the US. TRHC's proprietary technology solutions, including DoseMeRx™ and MedWise®, improve patient outcomes, reduce hospitalizations, and lower healthcare costs. TRHC's extensive clinical tele-pharmacy network improves care for patients nationwide. Its solutions are trusted by health plans and pharmacies to help drive value-based payments. For more information, visit TRHC.com.
About Regence
Regence serves approximately 3.3 million people through its health plans in Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Each Regence health plan is a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming health care by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers nationwide experience health care. For more information, please visit regence.com.
SOURCE Tabula Rasa HealthCare, Inc.
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