Using an animal model, Dr. Wang calculates the therapeutic index for a newly developed drug, VitaDex, which has been designed to increase natural vitamin D production in response to artificial light. Which question is she trying to answer?
A) What is the effectiveness of VitaDex in increasing natural vitamin D production?
B) What is the difference in dose of VitaDex that kills half of the subjects and dose that produces a full therapeutic effect?
C) At what dose does VitaDex begin to induce health hazards?
D) What is the cost-benefit ratio of administering VitaDex at a level known to induce health hazards?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The therapeutic index is a measure of the safety of a drug, calculated as the ratio between the toxic dose and the therapeutic dose. It specifically addresses the difference in dose that causes toxicity (kills half of the subjects) and the dose that produces the desired therapeutic effect, not the effectiveness, health hazard onset, or cost-benefit ratio of the drug.

Using an Animal Model, Dr