3.1.9 - Discovery & Development of Drugs

What plant is the heart drug digitalis extracted from?

Foxgloves

What painkiller originates from a compound found in willow bark?

Aspirin

What antibiotic was discovered by Alexander Fleming from a type of mold?

Penicillin

What are the four qualities of a good medicine?

• Effective

• Safe

• Stable

• Able to be taken in and removed easily

What three main factors are tested for when developing new drugs?

• Efficacy

• Toxicity

• Dosage

How is preclinical testing carried out?

In a laboratory - uses cells, tissues, and live animals

How is clinical testing carried out?

Uses healthy volunteers and patients

• Firstly, the drug is tested at a low dose on healthy people - then tested on patients and on a larger scale to find the optimum dose.

• Often, one group receive placebo (not the test drug) and the other group receive the actual drug, in order to assess its efficacy

What’s the difference between a single-blind and a double-blind trial?

In a single-blind trial, only the doctor knows whether the patient is receiving the drug or the placebo. In a double-blind trial, neither the patient nor the doctor knows.

Why are double-blind trials preferred?

They help remove bias on the part of the doctor

What is a peer review?

Where the results of drug trials are checked over by scientists knowledgeable in this field