Testing Medicines

• All medicines have to be extensively tested
• The plant foxglove was used to extract the heart drug digitalis
• Aspirin comes from willow trees
• Drugs were also extracted from microorganisms - penicillin discovered from mould by Alexander Fleming
• 1. Check toxicity
  2. Check efficacy
  3. Check dose
• Preclinical testing happens first, and is not carried out on humans because the drug could still be toxic.
• Preclinical testing is carried out on cells, tissues, and live animals.
• Clinical testing is on humans.
• During the first stage of clinical testing, the drug is given in every small doses, which gives an idea of if the drug is toxic to humans. Once it is proven to be safe, the clinical testing continues to find the optimal dose.
• The best dose with fewest side effects - optimum.
• Placebo - not an an actual drug, leads patients to believe they are being treated and symptoms may improve.
• in a double-blind trial, some patients are being given placebos and others have the actual drug. They look exactly alike and doctors themselves do not know which is which, ensuring that there is no bias.
• Bias may present as doctors paying more attention to patients they know are receiving the actual drug.