A traveling art exhibition of photographic images produced through micronphotography produced by Quintiles Transnational Corp. is designed to encouraging discussion of drug safety through the display of these beautiful and somewhat surreal images.
The image shown above illustrates antibiotic damage to the inner ear. Within the area labeled “A”, is shown the collapse of stereocilia caused by aminoglycoside antibiotics. In “B,” the cells are fused. In both cases, hearing loss is the result.
According to the press release:
The images bring the responsibility of safety to light, and illuminate the beauty of science as an art. Each piece consists shows images of drug-induced events, both positive and negative, at the cellular level.
The purpose of the Art of Safety exhibition is to initiate a dialogue about safety planning with relation to drug development through the impact of the images on display. An open dialog among stakeholders in the drug development industry is critical in continuing to raise awareness regarding the importance and value of safety planning throughout the drug development life cycle.
The Art of Safety, one of Quintiles’ new safety initiatives, is making its first national appearance at BioBay (April 26) and will appear at the following locations this spring:
- BIO International Convention, Boston, Massachusetts, May 6th-9th
- ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, June 2nd-4th
- DIA Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, June 17th-21st
I wonder if there is any connection with another antiobiotic: Ketek (as in “FDA Puts Black Box on Ketek” and “Celsius 3014: Ketek, Drug Safety, & Bioterrorism“), which may have been used treat ear infections in children.
