What term describes the effect caused by treatment, often the result of mistakes in drug use?

• A. Adverse drug reaction
• B. Side effect
• C. Iatrogenic
• D. Therapeutic effect

Answer: (C)

Iatrogenic describes harm or illness that is caused by medical treatment, including drugs or procedures. When medication use goes wrong—wrong drug, incorrect dose, wrong route, or dangerous interactions—the resulting adverse effects are considered iatrogenic. This is different from an adverse drug reaction, which is a harmful effect that can occur with proper use of a drug at normal doses, not necessarily due to a medical mistake. It’s also different from a side effect, which is an expected, often non-therapeutic effect that isn’t caused by a treatment error, and from a therapeutic effect, which is the intended beneficial result of a drug. Because the scenario emphasizes harm arising from treatment, especially due to errors in drug use, iatrogenic is the best fit.