When we develop new medicines they have to be tested and trialled extensively before we can use them.
Drugs are tested to see if they work well. We also make sure they are not too toxic and have no unaaceptable side effects.
Thalidomide was developed as a sleeping pill and was found to prevent morning sickness in early pregnancy. It has not been fully tested and it caused birth defects.
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B1 3.2 How effective are medicines?
Statins lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 40%.
The effectiveness of both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs can only be measured in proper double-blind trials.
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B1 3.3 Drugs
Drugs change the chemical processes in your body, so you may become addicted to them.
Addiction is when you become physically or mentally dependent on a drug.
Smoking cannabis may cause mental health problems.
Hard drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, are very addictive and can cause serious health problems.
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B1 3.4 Legal and illegal drugs
Many recreational drugs affect the nerous system, particularly the brain. Some are more harmful than others.
Some recreactional drugs are legal and others are illegal.
The overall impact of legal drugs on health is much greater than illegal drugs because more people use them.
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B1 3.5 Does cannabis lead to hard drugs?
People can progress from using recreational drugs such as cannabs to addiction to hard drugs because cannabis is illegal and has to be obtained from a drug dealer.
Cannabis smoke contains chemicals which may cause mental illness in some people. Teenagers are particularly vulnerable to this effect.
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B1 3.6 Drugs in sport
Anabolic steroids and other banned performance-enhancing drugs are used by some athletes.
The use of performance-enhancing drugs is considered unethical by most people.
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