B3: DRUGS AND TREATMENT

Question 1

How do vaccines work?

Answer 1

-vaccines contain an inactive/weakened form of a pathogen
-these carry antigens which cause your body to produce antibodies to attack the pathogens
-lymphocytes can recognise the antigen if it enters the body again and produce the specific antibodies required to destroy the pathogen quickly

Question 2

Pros of vaccines

Answer 2

-no symptoms
-strengthens immune system
-free (NHS)
-herd immunity
-eradicate disease

Question 3

Cons of vaccines

Answer 3

-side effects
-expensive/unavailable
-not everyone wants to/can have one
-pathogens mutate to become resistant
-could pass on illness unknowingly (no symptoms)

Question 4

What is herd immunity?

Answer 4

-when a large part of the population is vaccinated/immune
-this reduces the spread of pathogens

Question 5

What are antibiotics?

Answer 5

-substances that slow down or stop the growth of bacteria
-they are commonly prescribed medicines (eg: penicillin)
-these can be taken to cure the disease by killing the pathogen, but only cure bacterial diseases and not viral ones.

Question 6

How do antibiotics work?

Answer 6

-antibiotics damage the bacterial cells but do not damage the host cells
-different bacteria cause different diseases. One antibiotic may only work against one type of bacteria, or a few types. This means that a range of different antibiotics is needed for the treatment of the whole range of bacterial diseases.

Question 7

What can happen if antibiotics are given to patients too frequently/if patients don’t see out their whole course of antibiotics?

Answer 7

-the bacteria can become resistant
-another antibiotic then has to be made

Question 8

Where does aspirin come from?

Answer 8

the bark of willow trees

Question 9

Where does digitalis come from?

Answer 9

foxgloves

Question 10

What was penicillin discovered from?

Answer 10

discovered from the Penicillum mould (by Alexander Fleming)

Question 11

What are drugs tested for?

Answer 11

-toxicity
-efficacy
-dosage

Question 12

Pre-clinical test 1

Answer 12

-drugs tested on cells, tissues and organs
-testing for toxicity

Question 13

Pre-clinical test 2

Answer 13

-drugs tested on live animals
-testing for toxicity

Question 14

Clinical trial 1

Answer 14

-testing on a small group of healthy volunteers
-low dosage
-testing for toxicity/side-effects

Question 15

Clinical trial 2

Answer 15

-testing on a small group of patients
-testing for efficacy and dosage (and toxicity/side-effects)

Question 16

Clinical trial 3

Answer 16

-testing on a large group of patients
-double blind trial
-testing for efficacy and dosage (and toxicity/side-effects)

Question 17

Why do scientists peer review?

Answer 17

-to check validity of testing
-to prevent false claims
-to prevent bias

Question 18

What is a placebo?

Answer 18

a fake drug/treatment

Question 19

What is a double blind trial?

Answer 19

both patients and doctors are unaware of who has the drug and who has the placebo