The reason for using a “medium” dosage is that the drugs are almost always tested on healthy white men between the ages of 18 and 55. But this amount of medication isn’t necessarily equally effective for everyone.
For children, people of different gender or genetic profile, may not be getting the right amount for their body. This also applies to people with an underlying disease who have to take the drug for a long time.
Still sticking to the average amount, unpleasant side effects can occur in different groups, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. This in turn can lead to a request for more medicines.
Koch therefore considers it essential to investigate other target groups. “Avoid excessive and incorrect use of medicine and therefore many unnecessary costs,” says the professor. Additionally, algorithms that search patient records can also help prescribe better doses.
