China launches website to monitor drug-induced liver injury
It will be managed by Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University
China has launched its first website for drug-induced liver injuries at www.hepatox.org.
Managed by China’s Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Hepatox is similar to the US LiverTox. It will provide a database where medical professionals can report and find a huge number of reported cases to study and use in further research and development for liver disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
According to the Chinese Medical Association (CMA), the major cause of acute drug-induced liver injury in the country is anti-tuberculosis drugs and Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs). Both traditional Chinese medicines and chemical drugs are being monitored at Hepatox with warnings about their possible side effects.
Hepatox is backed by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, and is affiliated with a number of academic institutions, including the CMA, the Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital Medical University and the Shanghai Tongji Hospital of Tongji University.