Developing New Medicines
This lesson covers:
- The idea that most medicines originate in nature, but are developed in the laboratory
- The difference between 'efficacy', 'toxicity' and 'dosage'
- The different stages of testing once a drug has been developed
- Why clinical trials use placebos, and are 'double-blind'
Traditionally, many of our drugs were extracted from plants and microorganisms.
The painkiller aspirin originated from the bark of ________ trees. It is now used to reduce pain, and lower fevers.
willow
oak
pine
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The drug digitalis originated from plants known as _________. It is used to treat heart conditions such as heart failure.
foxgloves
snapdragons
buttercups
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was discovered by Alexander Fleming when some Penicillium mould contaminated one of his Petri dishes.
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Most new drugs are synthesised by chemists working in the pharmaceutical industry. However, the starting point may still be a chemical extracted from a plant.
What does the term 'efficacy' mean?
How much of the drug is required to give the desired effect
How well a drug produces the desired effect
How easy the drug is to manufacture
How harmful a drug is e.g. how many side effects
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What does the term 'toxicity' mean?
How much of the drug is required to give the desired effect
How harmful a drug is e.g. how many side effects
How easy the drug is to manufacture
How well a drug produces the desired effect
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What does the term 'dosage' mean?
How much of the drug is required to give the desired effect
How harmful a drug is, e.g. how many side effects
How well a drug produces the desired effect
How easy the drug is to manufacture
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Stages of drug development
plants / animals / optimum / volunteers / minimum / maximum / cells
- Stage 1 - Test the drug on human and tissues.
- Stage 2 - Test the drug on live .
- Stage 3a - Test the drug on healthy to find the dosage before side effects occur.
- Stage 3b - Test the drug on patients that suffer from the relevant disease, to find the dosage.
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Why is it important that new medicinal drugs undergo testing before they are used?
(Select all that apply)
To discover other uses for them
To make sure they are an effective treatment
To establish the costs involved in manufacturing them
To determine the optimum dose
To make sure they are safe to use
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In a double blind trial, who knows who is given the trial drug, and who is given the placebo?
The doctor and the patient
The doctor and the researcher
Only the researcher
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Patients in clinical trials are often given a placebo.
What is a placebo?
A painkiller
A substance or treatment that contains no active drug
The best available treatment for the disease
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Medical trials often use placebos, and are double-blind.
Why is it important for medical trials to be double-blind?
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