New Drug Treatments

The development of new medical drugs begins in a laboratory, usually conducted by scientists working for a pharmaceutical company.
Initial research involves determining the cause of disease at a cellular level and understanding the structure of the harmful microorganisms or toxic substances involved.
Scientists use this information to design a drug that can either kill the harmful microorganism or neutralise the toxin.
The new drug is then tested in vitro, meaning in a lab using cells, tissues, or organs outside of a living organism.
If results show that the drug might be effective, it then enters the pre-clinical testing stage and is tested on animals for safety and efficacy.
Next, the potential new drug must pass through phases of clinical trials with human volunteers to test for safety, side effects, optimal dosage, and effectiveness against the disease.
During Phase 1, the drug is tested on a small group of healthy individuals to assess its safety and side effects.
Phase 2 uses a larger group of people who are affected by the disease or condition, which helps determine the drug’s effectiveness and further studies its side effects.
During Phase 3, the drug is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug to be safely used.
If the drug is successful in all phases of the trials and is approved by regulatory authorities, it will be manufactured and marketed to the public.
However, even after approval, the safety and effectiveness of new drugs continue to be monitored in what is known as Phase 4 trials to catch any rare or long-term effects.
The development process for new drugs can take many years, cost millions of pounds, and still have a high possibility of failure.
Drugs can treat symptoms or cure diseases but can also have side effects. Some drugs effectively relieve symptoms but do not cure diseases, while others can kill pathogens and cure the disease.
It is important to always follow the prescribed dosage as not doing so can lead to drug resistance, particularly in terms of antibiotics.
Misuse or overuse of antibiotics can cause bacteria to evolve into antibiotic-resistant forms, leading to superbugs, which are difficult to treat.