B3 Flashcards
what is the first step in drug testing / developing drugs
first, the drug is tested on human cells and tissues in the lab.
cannot use these to test drugs that affect whole or multiple body systems e.g testing for blood pressure (must be done on a whole animal because it has an impact on the circulatory system)
What is the second step in developing drugs?
testing the drugs on live animals to test if the drug works and to find out its toxicity (how harmful it is) and the best dosage
What is the third step in developing drugs?
once passed, the drug is then first tested on healthy human volunteers. At the start of the trial, the dosage is low, it is then gradually increased.
if results on healthy volunteers are good, the drug is then tested on the volunteers with the illness
Why are drugs first tested on healthy volunteers?
to make sure it doesnt have any harmful side effects when the body is working normally
how can you test how well the drugs work? (step 3)
patients are randomly put into two groups, one is given the new drug and one is given a placebo effect. this is so the doctor can see the actual difference the drug makes
(step 3) what are double-blind trials?
when neither the doctor or patient knows they are receiving the drug or the placebo
what happens after step 3 is completed?
the results are not published until they have been through peer review to help prevent false claims
Pros of vaccinations
help control many communicable diseases that were once common
big epidemics can be prevented if a large percentage of the population are vaccinated
cons of vaccinations
dont always work
can have a bad reaction to vaccine
what do vaccinations involve?
injecting small amounts of dead or inactive pathogens which carry antigens which then causes your body to produce antibodies to attack them which allows the antibodies to attack the antigens the next time they enter the body.
