The Cancer Drug Interaction Checker was an academic, web-based resource developed as a joint project between the University of Liverpool and Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, and launched in 2017. Its primary purpose was to promote safer prescribing and improve the quality of care for cancer patients by providing an easy-to-use tool for rapid screening of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) involving anti-cancer agents and commonly prescribed co-medications.
Key Features and Capabilities:
- Interaction Checker: Enabled users to select from a list of anti-cancer agents (organized by generic name, trade name, and indication) and co-medications to check for potential DDIs.
- Evidence-Based Results: The tool clearly displayed the rationale and quality of evidence behind each DDI recommendation.
- Comprehensive Database: The resource was intended to host up to 200 anti-cancer agents used to treat both solid and haematological cancers.
- Co-medication Classes: Included checks against drug classes such as anti-diabetics, anti-coagulants, analgesics, antidepressants, and gastrointestinal agents.
Target Users and Use Cases: The tool was specifically aimed at Health Care Professionals (HCPs), including oncologists and pharmacists, to address the significant risk of DDIs in cancer patients who are often prescribed multiple drugs for their therapy regimen and comorbidities. Use cases included clinical decision support, pharmacist drug review, and DDI education.
Discontinuation Note: The original website was taken offline in September 2023 due to a lack of sustainable long-term funding. An archived version was made available by the University of Liverpool, but its content was last updated in June 2022, and the archived service was scheduled to be taken offline on January 31, 2025.