Profesors aim to track drug reactions via social media

RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) - Experiencing nausea, headaches or other side effects from prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines?

Researchers say tweeting about it or posting your concerns online could one day help alert drug companies and federal regulators to problems more quickly - potentially saving lives and money.

The project at the University of Virginia and West Virginia University, still in its infancy, capitalises on the idea that many companies - pharmaceutical and otherwise - already use the Internet to get consumer product and service feedback.

Sifting through innumerable posts on Twitter, Facebook, online message boards and blogs, the researchers will search for early warning signs of adverse drug reactions and interactions normally reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and pharmaceutical companies through official channels by consumers and doctors.