PHA2022 · Drugs and society

Overview

This unit provides an introduction to the pharmacological principles underlying drug action, and the factors that influence their use as therapeutics. Specific examples of drugs used for therapeutic and social reasons are discussed with an emphasis on the social issues associated with drug availability and use. You will learn about how new drugs are discovered and the processes by which they are taken from the bench to the marketplace. . Throughout this unit, the emphasis is on the application of knowledge and the development of a range of skills, including critical thinking, teamwork and communication, that will help prepare you for a range of career paths, including postgraduate study.

Areas of study: Pharmacology

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Discuss the targets of drug action, their mechanisms of action and the factors that influence their use as therapeutics;
2. Apply knowledge of drug action to discuss the risks and benefits of drug use and some of the non-pharmacological issues associated with drugs in our society;
3. Discuss the steps involved in the discovery, development and regulation of drugs from bench to market;
4. Demonstrate the ability to obtain, present and interpret data from pharmacological experiments;
5. Demonstrate the ability to source, evaluate and use information from a range of sources to critically analyse socially relevant drug controversies;
6. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively as part of a team to complete in-class and project activities.

Workload

Up to 12 hours per week consisting of: • 6 hours of directed learning including online activities, lectures, laboratories or workshop activities and • 6 hours of self-directed

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.