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@article{180871,
        author = {Koustav Biswas and Manasa Sandeep and Ayush BR and Anagha HP and Amisha AR and Chinmayi Padmaraj},
        title = {MediMate: A Platform for Peer-to-Peer Exchange of  Compositionally Similar Medicines at Affordable  Prices},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {1},
        pages = {3113-3117},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=180871},
        abstract = {The rising cost of branded pharmaceuticals continues to be a significant barrier to fair healthcare access, especially for economically disadvantaged groups. Even with the availability of generic and equivalent medications, many people either do not know about these options or cannot afford them. To tackle this pressing issue, we present MediMate, a web application designed to connect users through a peer-to-peer marketplace for buying and selling medicines with similar chemical compositions at much lower prices. The platform uses a carefully selected pharmaceutical database that allows for accurate drug matching based on factors like active ingredients, dosage forms, and therapeutic categories. This ensures that users receive safe and effective alternatives to expensive branded medications. One of MediMate’s key innovations is its JavaScript Chatbot Assistant, which is crucial for user engagement and accessibility. The chatbot offers smart suggestions for equivalent drugs, guides users through the platform’s features, answers health-related questions, and provides step-by-step help for uploading prescriptions and managing transactions. This interactive assistant also helps users make informed choices by breaking down medical jargon and giving relevant responses based on their needs. By integrating Ajax support with an easy-to-use marketplace, MediMate not only helps lower the financial burden of medications but also tackles bigger issues like pharmaceutical waste, access to drugs, and digital literacy in healthcare. This research examines the system's design, main features, and MediMate’s potential to change how underserved communities access and manage essential medications in a digital world},
        keywords = {Medicine affordability, therapeutic equivalence, drug composition matching, mobile health application, chatbot, pharmaceutical database, medicine exchange platform, e-health, cost-effective medication, medicine marketplace.},
        month = {June},
        }