For 15 years, the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) has been the data coordinating center (DCC) for the Drug Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN). B&B faculty Huiman Barnhart has been serving as the Principle Investigator for the DCC for 8 years. The National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has recently awarded Dr. Barnhart for an additional five years to lead the DCC. The award for first year of renewal is just over $1.4 million, and is expected to reach more than $7.4 million over the next five-year period. This is the longest running DCC in DCRI.
Liver injury due to prescription medication or herbal and dietary supplement (HDS) use is an important medical, scientific, and public health problem in the US. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the most common reason for non-approval, withdrawal, and clinical monitoring by the Food and Drug Administration. Although most patients who take prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, or herbal supplements will never experience liver problems as a result of taking these things, a percentage can develop liver injuries, some of which can develop into chronic liver injury, needing a liver transplant, or die. This is particularly a concern with alternative medications and herbal supplements, as there is little regulatory oversight or need to meet rigorous clinical testing standards. The NIDDK established the Drug Induced liver injury Network in 2003 and the DILIN will continue for another 5 years to reach its 20th year. The future areas of the network study is to continue the clinical, biochemical, histologic, genetic and biologic characterization of DILI, to lay groundwork for future studies of treating severe DILI and to engage pharmacovigilance with information on DILI. This should lead to major advances in our understanding of the mechanism(s) of DILI as well DILI diagnosis, management and treatment. Ultimately it allows safe medications to be prescribed to patient populations and safe HDS on the market.
Read more about the DILIN in www.dilin.org