Prescription Drugs and the Illnesses Treated

Students will gain knowledge of a specific medical condition and the prescription drugs and alternatives
recommended for treating the condition.
Grades 11-12
Standards:
NBEA (Marketing)
II. Consumers and Their Behavior
Achievement Standard: Analyze the characteristics, motivations, and behaviors of consumers.

NBEA (Economics)
I.

Allocation of Resources
Achievement Standard: Assess opportunity costs and trade-offs involved in making choices about how to
use scarce economic resources.

ACT Science
Interpretation of Data
16-19 Select two or more pieces of data from a simple data. Compare or combine data from a simple data presentation
(e.g., order or sum data from a table)

Learning objectives:
SWBAT

utilize prior knowledge from the film, The Other Drug Wars, to investigate a medical
condition
generate a list of medicines and their alternatives for treating the medical condition
conclude which treatment they would recommend for a middle class individual

Materials

Library/internet access for student research

Link to online prescription drug pricing (http://www.pharmacychecker.com/)
List of films medical conditions

Instructional planning

The essential questions for this lesson are:

o What is the impact to the common person with a long-term medical condition when they need
regular prescription drugs?
o What does research show on the effectiveness of an alternative treatment method?
Provide students with a list of medical conditions from the film to research:
o Alzheimers
o Arthritis
o Asthma

Balgopal, 2014

o High cholesterol
o Osteoporosis
o Schizophrenia
Students will research their topic and create a presentation that includes: summary of condition,
prescription drugs (non-generic) prescribed to treat the condition (including cost), generic prescription
drugs (including cost) and alternative treatments (including cost) along with the their personal
recommendation for the treatment of an average citizen
Upon completion of their research, students will sign up for presentation slots and spend 15-20 minutes
presenting their findings to the class.
o Peers will be encouraged to actively participate through asking questions or offering comments
after each presentation is complete. Teacher will also be sure to ask questions/clarifications after
each presentation.
o Students will turn in their completed presentation materials at the end of their presentation.
Upon completion of the presentations, students will be asked to complete a reflective journal entry.

Procedure/activity
Student Activity

Teacher Activity
Ask: Do you think that most people
with a long-term medical condition can
afford the most effective treatment? Do
you think they must make sacrifices in
order to afford the prescription drugs?

Engage

Ask students to think about this question.

Explore

Students will research a medical condition

including the condition, the prescription drugs
prescribed and alternatives

Present the medical conditions that were

discussed in the film, The Other Drug
Wars. Ask students to begin researching
a condition of their choice.

Explain

Students will present their findings on the

medical condition and the different treatment
options including cost.

Answer questions on research topics and

be prepared to help students find a
direction to go with discovering
information on the topic.

Elaborate

Students will present their opinion on what

treatment option they would recommend for
the average citizen.

Facilitate presentation questions,

clarifications and statements within the
class.

Evaluate

Each student will be asked to create a

reflective journal entry: 1) short summary of
their presentation; 2) analysis on the most
effective prescription drug and its cost
(whether it is affordable or not); and 3) their
personal reaction to the question.

Ask:

Turn in their presentation materials.

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Why would pharmaceutical companies

create a drug that is not accessible by the
majority of the people?

Assessment
Summative
Formal assessment of the students presentations which will demonstrate what they have learned
Anticipated misconceptions/ alternative conceptions
Prescription drugs are worth any cost associated with them
Prescription drugs are the only treatment for a medical condition
Every prescription drug has a generic brand
Accommodations/modifications of activity
For students who need extra time, the teacher can allow them extra opportunity for research before their
presentation slot.
For advanced students, they can complete the handout and then write a reflective journal entry on the
availability of generic drugs.
Presentation Rubric (adapted from bie.org please see second attachment)

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