# Drug Interaction Checker

A full-stack web application that helps users identify potential drug interactions by querying the FDA's OpenFDA drug label database. The application searches through over 100,000+ FDA-approved medications and analyzes drug labels for interaction warnings.


## 🎯 Project Overview

This application was built to demonstrate full-stack development skills and domain knowledge in healthcare technology. It combines software engineering with pharmaceutical data to create a practical tool for medication safety research.

## ✨ Features

- **Dual Search Capability**: Search drugs by brand name (e.g., "Lipitor") or generic name (e.g., "atorvastatin")
- **Intelligent Interaction Detection**: Analyzes FDA drug labels to identify mentions of drug interactions
- **Comprehensive Data Display**: Shows full FDA drug interaction warnings and contraindications
- **User-Friendly Interface**: Clean, responsive design with color-coded warnings
- **Error Handling**: Validates drug names and provides helpful feedback for invalid entries
- **Real-Time Results**: Instant querying of FDA's public API with no registration required

## 🛠️ Tech Stack

**Backend:**
- Python 3.13.3+
- Flask (Web Framework)
- Requests (HTTP Library)

**Frontend:**
- HTML5
- CSS3
- Jinja2 Templates

**API:**
- [OpenFDA Drug Label API](https://open.fda.gov/apis/drug/label/)

## 📋 Prerequisites

- Python 3.13.3 or higher
- pip (Python package manager)
- Virtual environment (recommended)

## 🚀 Installation & Setup

1. **Clone the repository:**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/nakibj/drug-interaction-checker.git
cd drug-interaction-checker
```

2. **Create and activate virtual environment:**

**Windows:**
```bash
python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate
```

**Mac/Linux:**
```bash
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
```

3. **Install dependencies:**
```bash
pip install -r requirements.txt
```

4. **Run the application:**
```bash
python app.py
```

5. **Open your browser:**
```
http://127.0.0.1:5000
```

## 💻 Usage

1. Navigate to the homepage
2. Enter the name of the first drug (Drug A)
3. Enter the name of the second drug (Drug B)
4. Click "Check Interactions"
5. View the results:
   - **Green box**: No direct interaction found in labels
   - **Yellow box**: Potential interaction detected
   - Expandable sections show full FDA interaction data for each drug

## 🏗️ Project Structure
```
drug-interaction-checker/
│
├── app.py                      # Flask application and routes
├── drug_checker.py             # Core logic for drug search and interaction detection
├── requirements.txt            # Python dependencies
├── .gitignore                 # Git ignore rules
│
├── templates/
│   ├── index.html             # Homepage with drug input form
│   └── results.html           # Results page displaying interactions
│
└── static/
    └── style.css              # Styling for the application
```

## 🔍 How It Works

### Backend Logic

1. **Drug Search Function** (`search_drug()`):
   - Queries OpenFDA API by brand name
   - Falls back to generic name search if brand name not found
   - Extracts `drug_interactions` field from FDA drug labels
   - Returns structured data with drug name and interaction text

2. **Interaction Detection** (`check_interactions()`):
   - Searches for Drug B's name in Drug A's interaction warnings
   - Searches for Drug A's name in Drug B's interaction warnings
   - Uses case-insensitive string matching on base drug names
   - Returns comprehensive results with bidirectional checking

### API Integration

The application uses the [OpenFDA Drug Label API](https://open.fda.gov/apis/drug/label/) which provides:
- Drug label information for FDA-approved medications
- Drug interaction warnings from official prescribing information
- Generic and brand name mappings
- No API key required for basic usage

### Example API Query
```
https://api.fda.gov/drug/label.json?search=openfda.brand_name:"Lipitor"&limit=1
```

## 📊 Sample Results

**Example: Lipitor + Warfarin**

✅ **Interaction Detected**
- Lipitor's label mentions warfarin in drug interaction section
- Warfarin's label mentions atorvastatin (Lipitor's generic name)
- Both drugs display full FDA interaction warnings

## 🎓 Key Learnings

This project demonstrates:

- **API Integration**: Working with RESTful APIs and handling JSON responses
- **Data Processing**: Parsing unstructured medical text from drug labels
- **Full-Stack Development**: Backend logic with Flask + frontend with HTML/CSS
- **Error Handling**: Validating user input and managing API failures
- **Domain Knowledge**: Understanding pharmaceutical data structures and medical terminology

## 🔮 Future Enhancements

- [ ] Support for checking 3+ drugs simultaneously
- [ ] Drug class interaction detection (e.g., "statins" vs specific drug names)
- [ ] Integration with RxNorm API for better drug name matching
- [ ] Export results as PDF report
- [ ] Mobile-responsive design improvements
- [ ] Caching frequently searched drugs to reduce API calls
- [ ] User accounts to save interaction history

## ⚠️ Disclaimer

**This tool is for educational and informational purposes only.** It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician, pharmacist, or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding medications and potential drug interactions.

The data is sourced from the FDA's public drug label database, which may not reflect the most current information. Drug interaction data is complex and context-dependent.

## 📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.

## 👤 Author

**Nakib Jalal**
- GitHub: [@nakibj](https://github.com/nakibj)
- LinkedIn: [linkedin.com/in/nakibj](https://linkedin.com/in/nakibj)

## 🙏 Acknowledgments

- [OpenFDA](https://open.fda.gov/) for providing free access to drug label data
- Flask documentation and community
- Rutgers University Computer Science program

## 📞 Contact

For questions, suggestions, or collaboration opportunities, feel free to reach out via GitHub or LinkedIn.

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**Built with 💊 for healthcare technology and medication safety**