Top 5 Benefits of Automating Medical Literature Screening

Literature monitoring can be a time-consuming process, which can lead to an overwhelming workload for pharmacovigilance professionals. However, using advanced technology, such as automated search algorithms, can help reduce the workload associated with literature monitoring. In particular, automating medical literature screening in pharmacovigilance can significantly benefit drug safety reporting. So, we present the top 5 benefits of automating medical literature screening, which will help you to be convinced of this usefulness.

Increased Efficiency

Automating medical literature screening can significantly improve efficiency by allowing for faster processing of a large volume of data. Automated screening systems can scan thousands of articles and reports in minutes, reducing the time required for manual review by a large margin. This, in turn, can lead to quicker identification of potential safety issues and timely reporting.

Cost Reduction

Automating medical literature screening can significantly reduce costs associated with manual screening. Manual screening is labor-intensive and requires a considerable amount of time and resources. By automating the screening process, companies can save costs associated with labor, infrastructure, and other related expenses.

Improved Accuracy

Manual screening of medical literature is prone to human error and bias. Automating medical literature screening can eliminate these errors and biases and provide consistent and accurate results. Automated systems can apply standardized rules and algorithms to identify safety issues, minimising the risk of missing critical information.

A simple case from the pharmacovigilance practice

A manual search for drug safety information is not reliable. Let’s consider a real-life case of information published on drug safety on the EMA website. Previously, posts about new product wording information were located in the “What’s New” section of the EMA website. It was convenient to check the EMA news tab once a day and keep up-to-date with new drug safety data. However, this year, there were no publications of PRAC recommendations on new product wording information in the “What’s New” section. Nevertheless, new information on SmPC updating was published in another section of the EMA website (PRAC recommendations on safety signals). One of our clients shared that if they hadn’t been using the DrugCard platform, they wouldn’t have promptly discovered critical new information on the safety of one of the drugs.

Better Quality Control

Automated screening can improve quality control by providing standardized, repeatable processes. Computerized systems can apply consistent criteria and accurately identify relevant information, enhancing the quality of data collection and analysis.

Enhanced Data Analysis

Automated screening can help identify patterns and trends in medical literature, aiding in signal detection and post-marketing surveillance. Computerized systems can mine data from various sources, including indexed and non-indexed literature, clinical trials, and medical publications, to identify potential safety issues and trends.

Summing up the benefits of automating medical literature screening

Pharmaceutical companies can check extensive medical literature more efficiently and accurately using automated screening systems. An automated approach can also reduce costs associated with manual screening. Automating the screening of medical literature helps pharmaceutical companies stay up-to-date with the latest drug safety information and comply with regulatory requirements. This is crucial since non-compliance can lead to legal and financial implications for pharmaceutical companies. Therefore, implementing automated screening systems is a brilliant and cost-effective way to ensure regulatory compliance and protect patient safety.