AQA B1 3.

1 Developing new medicines-

Resources
Lesson Plan
Printout AQA-B1-3.1-Worksheet

Internet devices

Lesson plan

Starter: Students have to decide if the statements are true or false.

Main:

Teacher introduces the lesson and learning objective.

Think, Pair, Share: Students consider the three things a new drug needs.

Students watch video on the Thalidomide story (12 mins) and answer the questions form the sheet into
their books.

Use the video to start discussion on why drug testing has to be really rigorous now.

Students watch video on drug trials and answer questions in their books.

Students sequence the 6 statements on how a drug is developed.

Students use the internet to research more information.

Plenary

1-5 questions on the lesson in their books.

Dr A. Johnston, Southampton 2014

 True or False?

All drugs are harmful.

False!
 True or False?

All drugs are illegal.

False!
 True or False?

Drugs are chemical

substances which change
the way the body
functions
True
 True or False?

Caffeine is a drug
True
 True or False?

Paracetamol is an
antibiotic
False!
 True or False?

Heroin was originally

designed as a non
addictive painkiller
True
 True or False?

Aspirin is made from

the bark of willow trees
True
 True or False?

A new medicine costs

on average up to £100
million to develop.
 False!
Its £500million - £1
billion
 True or False?

A new medicine takes

up to 6 years to
develop.
 False!
Its 12 years.
 GCSE Science

Physics Chemistry Biology

 Medicine and drugs

Medicines Drugs

Biology
Cannabis Drugs in sport
 01 December 201

Developing new medicines

Today you will be learning about how a new drug is

developed and about the drug thalidomide.
 01 December 201

Developing new medicines

Give reasons why we test new drugs. Grade D

Explain the main stages in testing drugs. Grade C

Explain flaws in the original development of Grade B

thalidomide.
 Think, Pair, Share:
which 3 things are the most important
when developing a new drug?

Catchy
Low cost Effective
name
(Doesn’t cost (good at treating
(So people
them much to the disease)
remember it)
make)

Good
Safe Stable
(No unwanted
marketing (Can be stored

harmful effects) (So people know for a long period

what it is) of time)
• Thalidomide video
1) What did thalidomide do to America’s drug laws?
2) Why did they prescribe thalidomide to pregnant
women?
3) What happened to some of the victims of
thalidomide?
4) When did the drug company finally apologise?
5) What diseases is thalidomide now used to treat?
6) What will female patients taking the drug now
have to do?
 Thalidomide

• Thalidomide is a drug which can treat a range of different

diseases.

• But it can cause birth defects if taken by pregnant women.

• When it was first discovered it was never tested properly.

• Because of thalidomide all new drugs have to go through

extensive testing that can take years.
• How a drug becomes a drug
 How are new drugs
tested?
1) What three organisations are needed for a drug to be developed?
2) What is the first step?
3) What are the three things which happen in phase 1 clinical trials?
4) Who is the drug given to in phase 2?
5) What happens during phase 3?
6) What happens if the drug is successful at phase 3?
7) Do they stop monitoring drugs after they are on the market?
 How are new drugs
tested?
Task 1: Look at the 6 stages of drug development, put them in
order.
You can copy them into your book, or cut out the sentences and
stick them into your book.

Task 2: Use the internet to research more information on drug

development.
 Quiz

• Number 1-5 in your books.

A = 5 out of 5
B = 4 out of 5
C = 3 out of 5
D = 2 out of 5
E = 1 out of 5
U = 0 out of 5
You will have 20 seconds to answer each questions
 Question 1 – E Grade

• What serious side effect did thalidomide

cause in pregnant women?
 Question 2 – D Grade

• What condition was thalidomide used to

treat in pregnant women?
 Question 3 – C Grade

• Give a disease that thalidomide can be used

to treat today.
 Question 4 – B Grade

• What is a placebo?
 Question 5 – A Grade

• To test if a new drug works, they give the

new drug to one group of patients and give
a placebo to another group of patients.
They then compare how well each group do.

• This is called a __________ trial.