Fighting disease-developing drugs

• What is the first stage in drug testing?

  Preclinical testing
• Why can't human cells and tissues be used to test drugs that affect whole body systems?


  Because they do not represent an intact circulatory system
• What is tested during preclinical testing on live animals?


  Efficacy, toxicity, and best dosage
• What does the law in Britain require regarding drug testing on animals?


  Any new drug must be tested on two different live mammals
• What are the arguments for and against animal testing in drug development?


  Some believe it's cruel, while others think it's the safest method
• What happens if a drug passes animal testing?


  It is tested on human volunteers in a clinical trial
• Why are healthy volunteers used in the initial phase of clinical trials?


  To ensure there are no harmful side effects when the body is normal
• What is the purpose of gradually increasing the drug dose during trials?


  To find the optimum dose with the most effect and fewest side effects
• How are patients grouped in clinical trials?


  One group receives the drug, and the other receives a placebo
• What is the significance of using a placebo in drug trials?


  It allows for the assessment of the drug's actual effect versus the placebo effect
• What does it mean for a clinical trial to be blind or double-blind?


  Patients or doctors do not know who receives the drug or placebo
• What must happen to the results of drug testing before they are published?


  They must go through peer review
• What is peer review in the context of drug testing?


  It is when other scientists check the validity and correctness of the work
• What are the three main stages in drug testing?

  1. Preclinical testing on human cells and tissues
  2. Testing on live animals
  3. Clinical trials on human volunteers
• What are the key aspects tested during preclinical testing on live animals?


  • Efficacy: Does the drug work?
  • Toxicity: How harmful is it?
  • Best dosage: What is the optimal concentration and frequency?
• What is the process of clinical trials after preclinical testing?


  1. Test on healthy volunteers
  2. Gradually increase dosage
  3. Test on patients with the illness
  4. Randomly assign patients to drug or placebo groups
  5. Conduct blind or double-blind trials
  6. Results undergo peer review before publication
• What is the purpose of trialling new drugs?

  To check they're safe and effective
• What are the three main aspects tested in drug trials?

  1. Toxicity — how harmful the drug is
  2. Efficacy — whether the drug works
  3. Dosage — the concentration and frequency of administration
• What does toxicity refer to in drug testing?


  How harmful the drug is
• What does efficacy refer to in drug testing?


  Whether the drug works and produces the desired effect
• What does dosage refer to in drug testing?


  The concentration that should be given and how often
• What are the stages of preclinical testing?


  1. Tests on human cells and tissues
  2. Tests on live animals
• What is a double-blind clinical trial?


  Neither the participants nor the researchers know who receives the drug or placebo
• What are placebos in drug testing?


  Substances that are like the drug being tested but don't do anything
• What is the process of clinical trials?


  1. Tests on healthy volunteers
  2. Gradual increase of dosage from a very low initial dose
  3. Tests on ill patients
  4. Finding the optimum dose
• What is the purpose of peer review in drug testing?


  To evaluate the validity and reliability of the research
• How do clinical trials ensure the safety and efficacy of a drug?


  • Use of placebos to compare effects
  • Gradual dosage increase to monitor reactions
  • Testing on both healthy volunteers and ill patients
• What is the purpose of testing drugs in clinical trials?


  To determine how the drug works and its effects
• What does toxicity refer to in drug testing?


  Toxicity refers to how harmful the drug is
• What does dosage indicate in drug testing?


  Dosage indicates how much and how often the drug should be given
• What is the significance of testing on humans and tissues?


  It allows for cheap testing of various substances
• What is a limitation of testing on humans and tissues?

  It does not show how the drug would affect an entire organism
• What is Stage 2 of drug testing?


  Testing on small animals like mice or rabbits
• What does Stage 2 testing provide information about?


  It provides a good idea of the drug's efficacy and toxicity
• What occurs in Stage 3 of drug testing?


  The drug is given to healthy volunteers at low doses
• How is the dosage adjusted during Stage 3 testing?


  The dosage is gradually increased to find the maximum dose without side effects
• What is the purpose of using a placebo in drug trials?


  To ensure that the test results are valid by comparing it to the real drug
• What is the method of minimizing bias in drug trials?


  Using a blind trial where participants do not know which drug they are receiving
• What is a double-blind trial?


  Neither the doctor nor the volunteer knows which drug they have
• Why are results from drug trials analyzed and peer-reviewed?


  To prevent false results and ensure scientific validity