Lesson 7: Testing medicines

Question 1

Traditionally, where were drugs extracted from in the past?

Answer 1

• Plants.
• Microorganisms

Question 2

From what plant does the heart drug digitalis originate from?

Answer 2

• Digitalis originates from foxgloves.

Question 3

From what plant does the painkiller aspirin originate from?

Answer 3

• Aspirin originates from willow.

Question 4

Who discovered penicillin and what was penicillin extracted from?

Answer 4

• Alexander Flemming.
• Extracted from microorganism; penicilium mould.

Question 5

Compare how new drugs are made now in comparison to in the past.

Answer 5

• NOW: Drugs are synthesized by chemists working for pharmaceutical industries; rather than being extracted from plants/ microorganisms.

BUT…starting point is still often a chemical extracted from a plant.

Question 6

What are the stages of testing a new drug?

Answer 6

• Preclinical testing
• ## Clinical testing

Question 7

What does preclinical testing involve?

Answer 7

• Testing the new drug on cells, tissues and live animals.

to make sure it isn’t toxic

Question 8

What are the 3 main stages of clinical testing?

Answer 8

1.) Very low doses of the drug are given to healthy volunteers.
2.) If the drug is found to be safe, further clinical trials are carried out to
find the optimum dose for the drug.
3.) In double blind trials, some patients are given a placebo.

Question 9

What is the purpose of the 1st stage of clinical testing?

Answer 9

• To make sure the drug is safe in humans.

Question 10

What is meant by optimum dose?

Answer 10

• Optimum dose is the best dose to treat the disease with the fewest side- effects.

Question 11

What is a placebo?

Answer 11

• A placebo is a tablet/ injection with no active drug in it.

Question 12

What happens in a double- blind trial?

Answer 12

• Test group, of patients, are given the active drug.
• Control group recieve a placebo.
• Neither patients/ doctor knows who is recieving placebo and who is recieving active drug.
• This is to reduce bias - ensure doctors don’t pay closer attention to people recieving active drug.

Question 13

Who has the drug tested on them in clinical testing?

Answer 13

• Both healthy volunteers and patients.

Question 14

What are new drugs extensively tested for?

Answer 14

• New drugs are extensively tested for toxicity, efficacy and dose.