Trial by Science
From foxglove to pharmacy: how a new drug is discovered, tested and trialled — preclinical, clinical, placebo and double-blind.
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Trial by Science 🧪
Before a new medicine reaches a pharmacy it faces years of testing — designed to answer two questions: is it **safe**, and does it **work**? This module follows a drug from its natural source through preclinical testing and human trials to approval.
Where drugs come from 🌿
Many drugs were originally extracted from **plants and microorganisms**: • **Digitalis** — a heart drug from **foxgloves**. • **Aspirin** — a painkiller from **willow** bark. • **Penicillin** — the first antibiotic, discovered by **Alexander Fleming** from the **Penicillium mould**.
Name the source
The antibiotic **penicillin** was originally discovered from what?
- A mould (Penicillium), by Alexander Fleming
- The foxglove plant
- Willow bark
- An animal
Three questions ⚖️
Every potential new drug is tested for three things: • **Toxicity** — is it **harmful**? • **Efficacy** — does it actually **work**? • **Dose** — **how much** should be given?
Match the terms
- Toxicity
- Efficacy
- Dose
- Is the drug harmful?
- Does the drug actually work?
- How much should be given?
Two stages of testing 🧬
Testing runs in two big stages: • **Preclinical** — in the lab, on **cells, tissues and live animals**. • **Clinical trials** — on **humans**: first **healthy volunteers** at very low doses to check safety, then **patients** to find the best dose. Safety always comes before dose — you never give a large dose until you know it isn't toxic.
Order the testing
An interactive activity.
Removing bias 🎭
To trust the results, trials are designed to remove **bias**: • A **placebo** is a dummy treatment with no active drug. Some patients get it so the drug's effect can be compared fairly. • In a **double-blind** trial, **neither the patients nor the doctors** know who got the real drug — so expectations can't sway the result. • Finally, results are **peer reviewed** — checked by other scientists before publication — to catch false claims.
Who knows?
In a **double-blind** trial, who knows which patients are getting the real drug rather than the placebo?
- Neither the patients nor the doctors
- Only the doctors
- Only the patients
- Everyone is told
Complete the process
New drugs are first tested in the lab on cells, tissues and _____, then in clinical trials on human _____. To remove bias, trials are often _____.
True of clinical trials?
Pick the TWO correct statements about clinical trials.
- Healthy volunteers are tested first, at low doses, to check safety
- In a double-blind trial neither doctor nor patient knows who got the real drug
- New drugs skip lab testing and go straight to patients
- Patients are always told immediately if they got the placebo
In the exam 🎓
Trial complete. Grade-9 habits for drug development: • Drugs are tested for **toxicity, efficacy and dose** — **safety first**, always. • **Preclinical** = cells, tissues, animals; **clinical** = healthy volunteers then patients. • **Placebo** and **double-blind** remove bias; **peer review** checks the results before they're published.