Health info at your fingertips

The project, comprising a drug-information database, will allow doctors and other users in Thailand to access information via the website yaandyou.net.

In the near future, Thais will be able to access information on drugs, supplements and cosmetology any time, any where, through an intelligent search engine.

This will become possible thanks to a project called Ya & You developed through a collaboration between the Pharmaceutical System Research & Intelligence Centre (PSyRIC) and the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec). The project, comprising a drug-information database, will allow doctors and other users in Thailand to access information via the website yaandyou.net.

PSyRIC managing director Sauwakon Ratanawijittrasin said the Ya & You project will provide information, such as drug monographs, drug composition, dosage   and administration instructions, contraindications, precautions and side effects for more than 10,000 drugs.

Meanwhile, doctors will be able to transfer knowledge and provide healthcare information through Wikis to enhance knowledge of drugs in the society.  

"Ya & You will combine information technology and science to enhance the quality of life of the Thai people," Sauwakon said.

The three-year project is divided into three phases. Initially, the project will focus on developing the  database and providing drug and healthcare information via the website.

The second and third phases will provide information about herbs, supplements and cosmetology along with a text-to-speech option. This will allow users to use their voice to ask for information on the website.

The website will also have an intelligent  search engine, which will allow people to look for information by uploading scanned images of pills or drugs. The website will provide details of the drug and also suggest locations across the country from where the drug can be purchased.

Nectec director Pansak Siriruchatapong said Nectec will develop the drug database and the search engine, whereas PSyRIC will manage and develop the website content.

"I think the project will be able to make the best use of IT to provide healthcare information and benefit people throughout the country," Pansak said.