Pharmacology: Science&Society

Catalog description

This course examines the fundamental chemical, biological, and therapeutic features of human pharmaceutical agents, or drugs, with a focus on how they are found, how they work, and how they are used (and misused). The twin pillars of pharmacology—pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics—are explored, with emphasis on mechanisms of drug action and metabolism at the cellular and physiological levels. The science and technology behind the discovery, design, and development of drugs are investigated, followed by a survey of drug classes used in modern medicine. Integrated within are considerations of how drugs influence and impact society in the realms of culture, economics, ethics, and the law. 002154