Rational Use of Medicines, Surgery, and Medical Advances
The Rational Use of Medicines
The rational use of medicines implies that each patient receives the drugs most appropriate to their clinical needs, in precise doses and during the appropriate time. This entails the least possible cost to the patient and the community. The misuse of drugs gives rise to very serious consequences, among which are the waste of resources, poor patient outcomes, adverse reactions, and the development of antibiotic resistance by pathogenic organisms.
Surgery
This involves the direct manipulation of the body to make an accurate diagnosis or to repair damage to anatomical organs to cure a disease. It requires the use of anesthesia and preoperative and postoperative care.
Brain Death
Brain death occurs when a person has a catastrophic brain injury resulting in the total and irreversible cessation of all brain activity. The brain does not get blood and oxygen and dies. The body may work for a while if the deceased is connected to a respirator. However, the function of the heart and lungs ceases if you disconnect the respirator and suspend artificial support measures. The criteria for determining brain death are very strict medically and legally.
Assisted Reproduction
It aims to help people with infertility problems who want to have children.
- Artificial insemination is useful in cases of male infertility. Semen is deposited in the uterus of the woman after stimulating ovulation. It is necessary to prepare the semen previously (selected and concentrated).
- In vitro fertilization is useful in cases of female infertility. Ovarian stimulation treatment is carried out, several eggs are extracted and fertilized with sperm in the laboratory (in vitro). After several zygotes are implanted to ensure the survival of at least one of them, so multiple pregnancies often develop.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine provides care to patients. Among other things, it allows the performance of diagnostic and treatment-time communication with patients and cooperation between different medical teams. It uses remote robotic surgery by surgeons, with support from local surgeons in remote areas where emergency services are not specialized.
Medical Research
Medical research can develop new drugs, instrumental material, and therapeutic techniques.
Development of Medicines
- Discovery (preclinical): We search for and select substances effective against a disease and ensure that their toxicity is minimal. Subsequently, in vitro tests are performed (on cell cultures, selecting the most active substances) and lastly, in vivo tests (in animals to assess their safety).
- Development (clinical trials): Checks the effectiveness and safety of substances on humans (tolerance, side effects, dosage).
Patent
A patent is the right of exploitation granted by a state for the exploitation of a discovery. It is valid for 20 years and allows the recovery of the investment made in the development of that discovery.
Generic Drugs
Generic drugs are those whose patent has expired. They have the same features as others but are much cheaper.
Orphan Drugs
Orphan drugs are those that are not developed by pharmaceutical companies as their sales are estimated to be low (e.g., rare diseases).