Vaccines and Medicines

Nature of Disease

Diseases are health conditions that impair normal functioning, caused by factors such as bacteria, viruses, genetic disorders, or lifestyle factors.

Diseases can be spread in numerous ways including airborne transmission, where infected individuals spread pathogens by exhaling, coughing, or sneezing.
Direct contact, such as touching an infected person, or indirect contact, such as touching an object an infected person has touched, can also spread diseases.
Ingesting contaminated food and water or being bitten by a vector, an organism that carries disease without being affected, are further modes of transmission.

Vaccines contain harmless versions of a pathogen, which cause the body to produce an immune response.
This trains the immune system to recognise and quickly react to the pathogen if it enters the body in the future.
Immunisation is the process by which an individual becomes protected against a disease through vaccination.

Vaccines have played a vital role in controlling, and in some cases, eradicating certain diseases.
Herd immunity happens when a high percentage of a population is vaccinated, making it difficult for the disease to spread.
This provides protection for individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to age, illness, or medical conditions.

Medicines are substances used to treat or prevent diseases and can be produced using biological processes.
For instance, insulin, a hormone used to treat diabetes, is produced using genetically engineered bacteria.
Antibiotics, which are used to combat bacterial infections, are another example of medicine.

It is important to use medicines responsibly to avoid drug resistance.
Overuse or incorrect use of antibiotics can lead to bacteria becoming resistant, causing antibiotics to become ineffective.
Antimicrobial resistance is a global challenge that undermines the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections.

There are several ethical considerations related to the use of medicines and vaccines.
These include ensuring access to medications for all people, fair testing and trials of new medications, and maintaining patient confidentiality.