• Once a new drug is developed the FDA allows a 17 year patent.
• During this time the manufacturer can market the brand name drug exclusively
• Once the patent expires, other can market the generic name (legal name).
• To date, no drug company has named their medications "Chuck" or "Martha"

• Stimulants
• Depressants
• Opiates
• Cannabis
• Hallucinogens
• Psychotherapeutics

• Placebo effects/Drug Expectancy
• Nonspecific Factors
• Dose Response - Effective Dose, Lethal Dose, Safety Margin
• Potency
• Solubility
• Absorption/Affinity
• Metabolism/Half life
• Elimination Time
• Tolerance
• Drug disposition
• Behavioral
• Pharmacodynamic

• Synergistic
• Antagonistic
• Qualitative

Routes of Administration - Oral

• Slow process, and is affected by how much food is in the stomach.
• Very little of the drug reaches the brain.
• Advantages are safety, economy and convenience.

Routes of Administration - Injection

• Subcutaneous - under the skin
• Intramuscular - directly into a muscle
• Intravenous - directly into the blood stream

Routes of Administration - Inhalation

• Inhalation- drugs are inhaled then absorbed through the lungs
• Drug must be in a gas or very fine liquid state

Routes of Administration - Intranasal

• Intranasal - powdered drugs(especially fat soluable ones) are absorbed through nasal tissue

Routes of Administration - Sublingual

• Drug is placed under the tongue and absorbed through the mouth's mucous membranes.
• Faster and more efficient absorption than oral administration

Routes of Administration - Transdermal

• Drug is absorbed through the skin.
• Often used as an alternate to oral administration if GI irritation is a concern.
• Not effective for many drugs since the skin will not allow the absorption of many types of drugs