Antibiotics & drug discovery
AQA GCSE Biology revision on Antibiotics & drug discovery. Aligned to the AQA GCSE Biology 8461 specification. This bank has 25 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 25)
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Question 1
Why are antibiotics ineffective against viral infections such as the common cold?
- A) Viruses possess a thick protein coat
- B) Viruses replicate inside host cells
- C) Antibiotics target bacterial cell walls
- D) Viral DNA is resistant to medication
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Answer: Antibiotics target bacterial cell walls
Antibiotics work by disrupting processes specific to bacteria, such as the formation of the cell wall or protein synthesis. Because viruses replicate inside the host's own cells and lack these bacterial structures, antibiotics have no target to affect. Consequently, they cannot damage the virus without harming the human cells they inhabit.
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Question 2
What is the primary purpose of the preclinical testing phase during new drug development?
- A) To assess drug toxicity in humans
- B) To determine safety and dosage levels
- C) To observe efficacy in human trials
- D) To identify side effects in patients
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Answer: To determine safety and dosage levels
Before a drug is tested on humans, it must undergo extensive preclinical testing in a laboratory. This phase uses cell cultures and animal models to identify potential toxicity and determine safe starting doses. Only after this stage is successfully passed can the drug progress to clinical trials involving human volunteers.
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Question 3
Which term describes the process of testing a new drug on a small group of healthy volunteers to check for safety?
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Answer: Clinical trials
Clinical trials are the formal stages of drug development where a substance is tested on humans. The initial phase involves healthy volunteers to ensure the drug is safe and to monitor for any immediate side effects before moving to larger groups of patients.
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