This presentation will focus on the use of a tool developed by the presenter for accessing raw Google Trends search probability data, and how this might be used for contemporaneous forecasting of drug interest, as well as limitations to the data which indicate that they cannot provide a complete picture of drug interest, but can, it is hoped, supplement conventional drug interest survey data.
Speaker bio:
Dr Jacques Raubenheimer
Translational Australian Clinical Toxicology, The University of Sydney
Jacques Raubenheimer moved from South Africa to Australia at the start of 2017 to work with the NHMRC-funded Translational Australian Clinical Toxicology programme. His current aim is to establish methods for using internet search- and social media data for the monitoring and nowcasting of trends in drug interest, particularly novel substances and substances slipping under the radar of conventional regulation, such as Human Enhancement Drugs (HEDs).