Know your drugs.

 
Most people use the term ‘drug’ and ‘medicine’ inter-changeably.
This write-up will touch on origin of drug’s name, its development process, managing your medication, drug dependant treatment and rehabilitation.

What is a “drug”?

“‘Drug’ includes any substance, product or article intended to be used or capable, or claimed to be capable, of being used on humans or any animal, whether internally or externally, for a medicinal purpose”—as defined under the ‘Sale of Drugs Act 1952, Section (2)’

“‘Medicinal purpose’ means any of the following purposes:

1. alleviating, treating, curing or preventing a disease or a pathological condition or symptoms of a disease;
   
2. diagnosing a disease
   
3. contraception;
   
4. inducing anaesthesia;
   
5. maintaining, modifying, preventing, restoring, or interfering with, the normal operation of a physiological function;
   
6. controlling body weight; and
   
7. general maintenance or promotion of health or well being.”
   

--as defined under the ‘Sale of Drugs Act 1952, Section (2)’

 

In addition to the above definition for ‘drug’, one also needs to bear in mind the following two related terms namely ‘Dangerous Drug’ and ‘Poisons’ that are also used to define various types of drugs:

“‘Dangerous Drug’ means any drug or substance which is for the time being comprised in the First Schedule of the ‘Dangerous Drug Act 1952’”. There are about 150 items that fall under this category.

 

“‘Poison’ means any substance specified by name in the first column of the Poisons List and includes any preparation, solution, compound, mixture or natural substance containing such substance, other than an exempted preparation or an article or preparation included for the time being in the Second Schedule of the ‘Poisons Act 1952’”. That includes all the products used for medicinal purpose.

 

How Does A Drug Get Its Name?

 

The manufacturer of a drug will coin a name that is submitted to INN for approval that may take 15 months to decide. Due to too many existing names, three or four names for any drug will be submitted just to avoid unexpected objection.

 

A drug will have two names: a brand name and a generic name.

 

A generic drug’s name should reflect the drug’s similarity to existing similar substance, and it should include the stem common to the group. Examples of the ‘stem’ are ‘-olol’ for beta-blockers (to control hypertension and manage angina pectoris), ‘-vastatin’ for 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A inhibitors (to treat hypercholesterolemia), and ‘-vudine’ for a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (to treat HIV infection).

 

Drugs with similar use or pharmacology should have a common stem. Problems do arise when a drug has more than one pharmacological action. Manufacturer have to select the prefer stem name, perhaps determined by the market potential.

 

The brand name of a drug, often created by ‘trademark consultant’ or ‘name-creation-agency’, is based on the company branding strategy. Some name is chosen to present a strong image (for the drug), while others may present a soft image or a reassuring image. Whatever the chosen name, the main purpose is to be able to earn maximum financial rewards.

 

World Health Organization set up ‘International Nonproprietary Names’ (INNs) in 1951 to co-ordinate the naming of drugs worldwide. Prior to it, the same drug may be named differently and it is impossible to change an existing name.

 

For example, American called a chemical entity “N-Acetyl-p-aminophenol”, ‘Acetaminophen’ while the British and European called it ‘Paracetamol’. Both names have co-existed since last world war.

 

In 1999, European Commission EC Directive 92/27 required all medicines (drugs) to be labeled with the recommended INN throughout Europe. It encountered problem with ‘Adrenaline’ that is commonly used almost throughout the world but is called ‘Epinephrine’ under INN naming system! It is quite impossible to register a new drug’s name without encountering objection from some sources.

 

Overview of Drug Development Process:

 

Before Second World War, most drugs were either natural products or extracts of natural products. Modern synthetic drugs began to emerge after 1945.

 

The development of a drug from an extract of a natural product or newly synthetic molecule by biotechnological process is a very challenging venture that pharmacists are best suited to undertake. It requires a broad-based knowledge in pharmaceutics, pharmacology, pharmaceutical technology, medicinal and synthetic chemistry, pharmaceutical and organic chemistry.

 

Drug development is a highly scientific, technical and entrepreneurial process. Only one out of 10,000 potential molecules will go through all the hurdles to become a new drug. Usually it requires about 1.5 to 2 billion ringgit (350 million sterling pounds) invested over 10 to 12 years period of intense research work to succeed!

 

Each drug goes through chemical, biotechnological and pharmaceutical development procedures, followed by animal toxicological studies, pharmacokinetic studies, animal trial studies, clinical trial in healthy humans, and post-marketing monitoring on any side effect and adverse drug interactions. 

 

Nobody can reliably predict which chemical compound can be developed successfully into a new drug. Initial studies on a new compound are done in vitro (that means in laboratory). The in vivo (or in vivace, meaning in a living creature) testing only begins at a later development stage.

 

A drug’s profile is gradually built up, with information on its chemical stability, metabolism pathway, distribution, absorption, and excretion in animals as well as humans. Some structural changes may be done to a molecule (also called molecule manipulation) during the screening process, aiming to find a molecule with optimal pharmacological action while having minimal toxic effect.

 

Who Should Manage Your Medication?

 

Each medicine (or drug) you take has the potential to cure (or lessen) the illness as well as the risk to harm you if inappropriate prescribed or calculated.

 

All registered medical doctors are qualified to diagnose your sickness and prescribe one or more suitable medicines for you. Then you should get a prescription sheet to a pharmacy to obtain your medicines. Only registered pharmacists have formally been qualified in medicine dispensing throughout the whole world.

 

A doctor should diagnose your sickness and prescribe a drug for you. Then a pharmacist should dispense your prescription and advise you on how to manage your medication in order to achieve quality clinical outcome. This is like a company’s account that has been properly audited. Our medication is certainly as important as our finance, and all prescriptions ought to be screened for your safety!

 

Medicines are not like ordinary goods. You should only obtain them from reliable and qualified professionals. Do not compromise on this matter because you have only one life to live.

 

Problems With Drug Withdrawal

 

Drug withdrawal may arise physically and mentally when a person is abruptly deprived of the drug that he/she is accustomed to regular dosing. Symptoms may include nausea, shaking, vomiting, anxiety, weight lost, and paranoid. Severity of withdrawal symptoms depends on the type of drug, quantity used and duration of previous uses.

 

Some drug withdrawal symptoms may be severe or even life threatening. Common withdrawal conditions are due to either drug or alcohol. Qualified healthcare professionals should treat both clinical conditions.

 

You may seek treatment or rehabilitation, especially for narcotic drugs addiction, from either the government or private managed centers that may be found in any state. Drug addicts may also be sentenced by a Court to undergo treatment and rehabilitation.

 

There are 31 private sector centers that are registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Narcotics Agency.

 

Drug Dependants: Treatment and Rehabilitation

Treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependants are regulated by ‘Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983, its Rules 1983, and Drug Rehabilitation Centre Rules 1983.

 

Any Social Welfare Officer, a police officer not below the rank of Sergeant, or a Rehabilitation Officer may take into custody any person whom he reasonably suspects to be a drug dependant for a period not exceeding 24 hours at any appropriate place for the purpose of undergoing tests.

 

If the tests cannot be completed within 24 hours, the person may be released on bail, or the person may be produced before a Magistrate. The Magistrate may detain him for a period not exceeding 14 days to undergo tests or may release him on bail.

 

Any person who is a drug dependant may apply to a Rehabilitation Officer to be provided with treatment and rehabilitation. A government medical officer or a registered medical practitioner needs to certify, through tests, the drug dependency of the applicant. Usually treatment and rehabilitation period is 2 years. The drug dependant will be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance, treatment and rehabilitation.

 

Drug: A good servant but a bad master?

 

Drug will serve any person faithfully when adequate instruction is given. It works like an obedient servant. However, it can kill without hesitation if people give it incorrect instruction!

 

Drug Formulation and Manufacturing:

 

Many people wonder how a tablet, capsule or injection comes about. Among all the healthcare professionals, pharmacists are the only group who has learnt the science and art of formulating and manufacturing drugs.

 

Information Source:

http://firsttelepharma.com.my/node/21