Antibiotics and medicine development

What are antibiotics?

Medicines that kill bacteria or inhibit their growth.

Why do antibiotics not treat viral infections?

Viruses reproduce inside host cells and do not have the bacterial cell structures and processes targeted by antibiotics.

How do antibiotics work against bacteria?

They inhibit essential bacterial processes, such as cell wall formation or protein synthesis.

Why can antibiotics harm bacteria without necessarily harming human cells?

They target structures or processes found in bacteria but absent from, or different in, human cells.

Can antibiotics treat influenza or the common cold?

No. These are viral infections, so antibiotics are ineffective against the viruses themselves.

What are the main stages of developing a new medicine?

Discovery, development, preclinical testing and clinical testing.

What happens during medicine discovery?

Researchers identify a potential medicine or substance that may treat a disease.

What happens during medicine development?

The substance is investigated and refined to improve its effectiveness, safety and suitability for use.

What is preclinical testing?

Testing a potential medicine in the laboratory, including on cells, tissues and sometimes animals, before human trials.

What is the purpose of preclinical testing?

To investigate toxicity, safety and whether the medicine may work.

What is clinical testing?

Testing a medicine in human volunteers and patients through clinical trials.

Why are medicines tested on healthy volunteers?

To investigate safety, side effects and appropriate doses, where it is ethical and suitable.

Why are medicines tested on patients?

To assess whether they work against the disease and to monitor side effects.

Why are clinical trials often double-blind?

Neither participants nor the researchers assessing outcomes know who receives the treatment or placebo, reducing bias.

What is a placebo?

A dummy treatment with no active medicinal ingredient.

Why are medicines tested at different doses?

To find a dose that is effective while minimising harmful side effects.

Why is developing a new medicine a lengthy process?

It requires extensive testing to establish safety, effectiveness and suitable dosage.