Drugs & Medicines

• the NHS spends £17 billion a year on medications
• Medication either relives symptoms or treats the disease
• Aspirin, paracetemol and cough medicine relieve symptons
• Antibiotics directly kill bacteria or prevent more growing
• Antibiotics only work with bacteria
• Antibiotics are made specifically to interfere with bacteria and as viruses are so different they cannot kill them. Furthermore viruses hide within our bodies cells which makes it almost impossible to destroy them without harming our own cells.
• Antibiotic resistance is where the bacteria becomes resistant to antibiotics
• Our ability to treat disease had revolutionised medicine, both extending life and improving the quality of life.