My next step in importing FDA drug data is to try to classify drugs. I have encountered a few things I would like to comment on.
The VA DRUG CLASS is a heirarchy. For example drug class VT000 is Vitamins and CN000 is CNS drugs. Some drugs are sub-classes. For example VT100 is VITAMIN B and CN400 is ANTICONVULSANTS. What is not clear to me is exactly how the three digits are used in the numbering scheme. For example, I found an entry for VT106 RIBOFLAVIN that is "stranded" (it has a PARENT value equal to itself--obviously an error). Would this have a parent of VT100 VITAMIN B? It seems that it should. But then what about the RE class: }~184 = RE000^RESPIRATORY TRACT MEDICATIONS | }~185 = RE100^ANTIASTHMA/BRONCHODILATORS | }~190 = RE200^DECONGESTANTS,SYSTEMIC | }~191 = RE300^ANTITUSSIVES/EXPECTORANTS | }~192 = RE400^MUCOLYTICS | }~193 = RE500^COLD REMEDIES,COMBINATIONS | }~194 = RE900^RESPIRATORY AGENTS,OTHER | }~305 = RE600^NON-ANESTHETIC GASES | }~393 = RE599^COLD REMEDIES,OTHER One would think that RE599 would be child of RE500 (it isn't, but it could be). Or the OP class: }~163 = OP000^OPHTHALMIC AGENTS | }~164 = OP100^ANTIGLAUCOMA MEDICATIONS | }~165 = OP200^ANTI-INFECTIVE,TOPICAL OPHTHALMIC | }~166 = OP300^ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES,TOPICAL OPHTHALMIC | }~167 = OP400^CONTACT LENS SOLUTIONS | }~168 = OP500^EYE WASHES/LUBRICANTS | }~169 = OP600^MYDRIATICS/CYCLOPLEGICS,TOPICAL OPHTHALMIC | }~170 = OP700^ANESTHETICS,TOPICAL OPHTHALMIC | }~171 = OP900^OPHTHALMICS,OTHER | }~302 = OP350^ANTI-INFECTIVE/ANTI-INFLAMMATORY COMBINATIONS,TOPICAL OPHTHALMIC | }~317 = OP800^DECONGESTANTS,TOPICAL OPHTHALMIC | Here is wouldn't make any sense for OP350 to be a child of OP300. So my conclusion is that for the case of my stranded VT106, I could set it's parent to VT100, but this would not be according to the pattern. Kevin ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by xPML, a groundbreaking scripting language that extends applications into web and mobile media. Attend the live webcast and join the prime developer group breaking into this new coding territory! http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid0944&bid$1720&dat1642 _______________________________________________ Hardhats-members mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members
