Editing Side effect (section)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Short description|Outcome that is secondary to the one intended}}
{{About|side effects in the context of medicine|side effects in the context of computer science|Side effect (computer science)| other uses}}

In [[medicine]], a '''side effect''' is an effect of the use of a medicinal [[drug]] or other treatment, usually [[Adverse effect|adverse]] but sometimes beneficial,  that is unintended. Herbal and [[traditional medicine]]s also have side effects.

A drug or procedure usually used for a specific effect may be used specifically because of a beneficial side-effect; this is termed "[[off-label use]]" until such use is approved.<ref name="due">{{cite journal |vauthors=Due A |title=What are side effects? |journal=European Journal for Philosophy of Science |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=16 |date=2023 |pmid=36936702 |pmc=10006551 |doi=10.1007/s13194-023-00519-8}}</ref> For instance, [[X-ray]]s have long been used as [[Radiography|an imaging technique]]; the discovery of their oncolytic capability led to their use in [[radiotherapy]] for ablation of [[Malignancy|malignant]] [[tumour]]s.