Medicinal drug

Medicinal Drug

A medicinal drug also known as medicine or medication is a substance used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and relies on the science of pharmacology for continual advancement and on pharmacy for appropriate management.

Classification

Drugs may be classified by their therapeutic effect on the body or by their chemical structure. Most drugs that are used in medicine are of three types: small organic molecules, biologics, and biosimilars.

Administration

Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalation, injection, smoking, ingestion, absorption via a patch on the skin, or dissolution under the tongue.

Regulation

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for creating guidelines for the approval and usage of drugs. The FDA requires that all approved drugs fulfill two requirements:

1. The drug must be found to be effective against the disease for which it is seeking approval.
2. The drug must meet safety criteria by being subject to animal and controlled human testing.

See also

• Pharmaceutical industry
• Pharmacology
• Pharmacy
• Therapeutics

References

Medicinal drug Resources
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