Vaccination and Drug Development

These flashcards cover key concepts related to vaccination, antibiotics, painkillers, and the drug development process.

Vaccination

An injection of a dead or inactive pathogen to stimulate the immune system without causing illness.

Immune System

The body's defense system that remembers pathogens and produces antibodies to fight infections.

Antibiotics

Drugs that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria, but are ineffective against viruses.

Painkillers

Medications that relieve symptoms but do not address the underlying cause of the disease.

Herd Immunity

The immunity that occurs when a large percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, thus protecting vulnerable individuals.

Placebo

A fake drug or treatment that has no therapeutic effect, used to measure the effectiveness of the actual drug in clinical trials.

Clinical Trials

Research studies performed on humans to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a new drug.

Efficacy

The ability of a drug to produce the desired effect.

Resistance

When bacteria mutate to survive despite the presence of antibiotics, making the infection harder to treat.

Dosage

The prescribed amount of a medication to be taken at one time or over a specific period.