Discovering and Developing Drugs Flashcards
What is a placebo?
A version of the drug which doesn’t contain any active ingredient.
What is a double-blind trial?
Where neither the patients or the doctors know which group receive the placebo, preventing bias from doctors who pay closer attention to the group receiving the real drug.
How was penicillin discovered?
Alexander Fleming left a petri dish with bacteria in it. Mould which grew in the petri killed the surrounding bacteria.
What is the first step of drug trials?
Computer simulation.
What is the second step of drug trials?
Tissue and organ testing.
What is the third step of drug trials?
Animal testing.
What is the fourth step of drug trials?
Clinical trials on healthy people.
What is optimum dosage?
The amount of drug which gives the most effect with the least side effects.
What does testing on animals show scientists?
If it is lethal.
What information can scientists gain from testing?
Optimum dosage, effectiveness, danger (lethality)