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Medical Definition of Risk benefit
1. An analysis of risk versus benefit is a complex assessment that must be made by a physician prior to the administration of a particular form of drug therapy. Since many medications may have side effects that can be harmful (during the course of treatment), the overall risk of a particular form of drug therapy must be weighed against the overall threat of the untreated disease process (or treatment with an altenative drug). (27 Sep 1997)