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Student activity

Power to Prescribe

This issue's activity is based around a simulation of a pharmaceutical company planning future spending. It gives you the chance to role-play various characters working for the company and to consider which pharmaceutical they should develop.

Three different drugs - tackling obesity, HIV/AIDS and heart disease - have had successful phase II trials but the company can only afford to run expensive phase III trials on one of them. But which one will it be? Review each of the proposals, take part in a debate to discuss the issues involved and vote on the drug in which you think the company should invest.

Read the activity notes [PDF 2MB] to find out what you need to do.

To discover the differences between the drugs look at the information sheets [PDF 130KB].

Work through the scenario using the role-play cards [PDF 1MB].

'Heads of development' can use the prepared presentations:

And don't forget your homework [PDF 30KB].

Credits

This activity was produced by John Coad, Science Education Consultant.

Wellcome Trust, Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK T:+44 (0)20 7611 8888