Drugs That Changed the World: Where Drugs Come From
The Unpredictable Pathway to Aspirin and Its ‘Descendants’
Publisher Description
This book supports a lecture of the same title, delivered as part of The University of Western Australia’s pharmacology course in a unit titled Drugs That Changed the World (PHAR1101).
It demonstrates to students the dynamic, unpredictable nature of pharmaceutical innovation by providing a glimpse into the fascinating historical, scientific and commercial saga that made aspirin one of the greatest medicines of all time.
The book and lecture introduce several themes that recur throughout the UWA pharmacology course. These include the search for new drugs in plants (bioprospecting), the importance of a scientific understanding of how drugs work (pharmacodynamics), and the value of careful observation and clinical testing.