Drug testing and antibioticsEdexcel A-Level Biology A: Mind map

Exam questions on Drug testing and antibiotics

1. In 1785 the doctor William Withering published an account of treating patients who had dropsy (swelling caused by fluid retention) with a herbal remedy later known as digitalis soup. By testing the plants in the mixture separately he showed that foxglove was the active ingredient, and he adjusted the dose according to the response of more than 100 of his patients. He recorded the doses and the outcomes, but all of the patients knew they were being given the remedy.
   Explain why modern drug trials are double blind.2 marks
2. A pharmaceutical company has developed a new drug to lower blood pressure. After testing on cells and animals, it must pass three phases of clinical trials before it can be licensed for use.
   Suggest why phase 1 uses healthy volunteers rather than patients with high blood pressure.2 marks
3. A student cultures bacteria on nutrient agar in a school laboratory to find out how well the bacteria grow. The student must give the bacteria the conditions they need and must not allow microorganisms from the environment to get into the plates.
   Explain three conditions that the student must provide to allow the bacteria to grow on the agar.3 marks