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 On Drugs: Pharmaceuticals, Medicine, and Culture - HPSC2665
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 History and the Philosophy of Science
   
   
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.125 (more info)
 
 
Contact Hours per Week: 3
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Prerequisite: 36 units of credit
 
 
Fee Band: 1 (more info)
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
  

Description

Drugs are powerful forces of change, rapidly reshaping medical care, lifestyles and even nations. Examines the 'life cycles' of successful medicines developed in the past century, from sex hormones to amphetamines to the latest genetically engineered protein drugs. Considers how the pharmaceutical industry creates new drugs, how marketing interacts with doctor and patient behavior, and how medicine, culture and politics are affected in the process. Applies general concepts regarding the way scientific and social change are connected to help understand drugs and their impact.


Learning Outcomes

In this course students will:
  • Learn to understand better where new drugs come from, how they influence medicine and wider society, and how and why some come to be classified and regulated as pharmaceuticals while others are classified dangerous and banned
  • Gain skills for thinking critically and engaging in independent and reflective learning about the pharmaceutical industry, drugs in health policy, and social responses to illicit drug use.

Assessment

  • In-class test - 20%
  • Final test - 40%
  • Tutorial workbook - 40%

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