Scientists create drug info software

EDMONTON, Alberta, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Canadian scientists say they have found a solution to a common age-related problem -- the increasing chance of taking the wrong combination of drugs.

University of Alberta Professors Lisa Given and Stan Ruecker said they have developed software that helps deal with visual and motor impairments, which can make sorting, holding and identifying pills a challenge as people grow older.

Given and Ruecker asked seniors, age 65 and older, to imagine having accidentally dropped and mixed up their pills. Using a sample of about a half-dozen drugs, they say the seniors were able to identify and re-organize the pills when they used the computer program, which has images and details of more than 1,000 pills in its database.

"We started our research with seniors in mind because we recognize that we have an aging population, which means age-related issues seniors need to deal with," Given said.

The software, which they hope to adapt for applications on smartphones such as BlackBerrys, will ultimately be available to the public and could also be used by poison control centers and hospital emergency rooms where officials have little time to save a person's life and must act quickly to determine the amount and type of pills ingested.

The project is part of ongoing research supported by the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.