The term adverse drug reaction (ADR) describes any adverse event associated with the use of a drug in humans. The generalized use of the adjective adverse when describing drug reactions that were not sought after may be inappropriate when these reactions are beneficial to certain subpopulations of patients with other underlying illnesses. Some ADRs may provide invaluable leads to the development of new therapies. There is a well-established history of drug development based upon the serendipitous appreciation of ADRs. A concerted effort to foster the study of ADRs and ADR databases could augment this process.
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