Pharmaceutical: New Drugs, Interactions and General Information

Author: Disabled World
Updated/Revised Date: 2024/08/23
Category Topic: Pharmaceutical Information (Publications Database)

Page Content: Synopsis Introduction Main Subtopics

Synopsis: Information regarding both older and newly released or approved drug types, including interaction warnings and precautions. A pharmaceutical drug (medicine or medication and officially medicinal product) is defined as a drug used in health care. Such drugs aid the diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease. Governments generally regulate what drugs can be marketed, how drugs are marketed, and in some jurisdictions, drug pricing. Controversies have arisen over drug pricing and disposal of used drugs.

Introduction

A pharmaceutical drug (medicine or medication and officially medicinal product) is defined as a drug used in health care. Such drugs aid the diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of 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. Drug discovery and drug development are complex and expensive endeavors undertaken by pharmaceutical companies, academic scientists, and governments. Governments generally regulate what drugs can be marketed, how drugs are marketed, and in some jurisdictions, drug pricing. Controversies have arisen over drug pricing and disposal of used drugs.

Main Document

In the United States, a Drug is Defined As:

Effective drug regulation for nations both promotes and protects the health of the public through ensuring several things:

National governments are held responsible for the establishment of strong national drug regulation authorities (DRA's) that have a clear mission, realistic objectives, a solid legal basis, an appropriate organizational structure, suitable financing, an appropriate level of qualified staff, equipment and information, access to technical literature, and the capacity to exert effective market control.

DRA's are accountable to both the government and the public at large for their decisions and should be transparent. The DRA's evaluation and monitoring mechanisms need to be built into its regulatory system to assess attainment of its established objectives.

Continued below image.
Photo of a pile of drugs including pills and capsules of a variety of colors and sizes.
Photo of a pile of drugs including pills and capsules of a variety of colors and sizes.
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U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Mission Statement

The U.S. FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.

The FDA is also responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer, and more affordable, and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health.

Health Canada's Mission Statement

Health Canada plays an active role in ensuring that you have access to safe and effective drugs and health products. The Department strives to maintain a balance between the potential health benefits and risks posed by all drugs and health products. Our highest priority in determining the balance is public safety. Working together with other levels of government, health care professionals, patient and consumer interest groups, research communities and manufacturers, our department endeavors to minimize the health risk factors to you and maximize the safety provided by the regulatory system for these products. We also strive to provide you with the information you need to make healthy choices and informed decisions about your health.

Health Canada is not a manufacturer or distributor of drugs and health products. We are the federal regulator. For additional drug information related to treatment options or where drugs or health products are sold, please contact your health professional or the individual company directly. Health Canada is committed to providing timely access to sound, evidence-based information. We want to ensure that Canadians remain up-to-date on current developments and issues pertaining to drugs and health products in Canada.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency - U.K.

We enhance and safeguard the health of the public by ensuring that medicines and medical devices work and are acceptably safe. No product is risk-free. Underpinning all our work lie robust and fact-based judgments to ensure that the benefits to patients and the public justify the risks. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the government agency which is responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices work, and are acceptably safe. No product is risk-free. Underpinning all our work lie robust and fact-based judgments to ensure that the benefits to patients and the public justify the risks.

We keep watch over medicines and devices, and we take any necessary action to protect the public promptly if there is a problem. We aim to make as much information as possible publicly available. We enable greater access to products, and the timely introduction of innovative treatments and technologies that benefit patients and the public. We encourage everyone - the public and healthcare professionals as well as industry - to tell us about any concerns with a medicine or medical device so that we can investigate and take any necessary action.

Medication Naming

Pharmaceutical names are assigned according to a scheme in which specific syllables in the drug name (called stems) convey information about the chemical structure, action, or indication of the drug. Three main groups are involved in naming medications - pharmaceutical companies, the U.S. FDA, and the U.S. Adopted Names Council (USAN). The World Health Organization (WHO), International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), and others also play roles. Many medicinal drugs have at least 3 names:

Generic and brand names must be unique to prevent one drug from being mistaken for another when drugs are prescribed and prescriptions are dispensed. A generic drug must be "bioequivalent" to the brand-name product, meaning they have to be chemically similar. A study that compared generics to brand-name drugs found on average only a 3.5% difference in absorption into the body.

Medication Facts and Statistics

Subtopics

Latest Publications From Our Pharmaceutical Information Category

1: - Propofol, a widely used anesthetic, disrupts the brain's balance between stability and excitability.

2: - Information on pain management medications, from common anti-inflammatory drugs to powerful prescription analgesics such as codeine and morphine, designed to address diverse levels of pain intensity.

3: - Pharmacological treatment of ADHD is commonly used in clinical practice, but the impact on crime remains debated.

Complete Publications Database


Page Information, Citing and Disclaimer

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Cite This Page (APA): Disabled World. (Rev. 2024, August 23). Pharmaceutical: New Drugs, Interactions and General Information. Disabled World. Retrieved November 9, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/medical/pharmaceutical/

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