Medicine is the art and science of treating a patient with a view to curing, treating the illness, predicting the course of the disease, prevention of the recurrence, palliation of the physical injury or ailment, and promoting the general health of the person. The word ‘materia’ is derived from the Latin Medicines which means ‘store’. In this sense it can be taken as meaning the store where medicines are kept. In fact all living organisms in nature are held together by an intricate network of chemical, enzymatic, and other processes which regulate the activity of the individual cells. All these functions of the living organism are properly carried out by the cells of the body.

The major part of the work of any doctor or physician consists in the preparation and administration of drugs for the relief of patients. The use of antibiotics as medicines has become common now a day. The administration of drugs like Tylenol and aspirin is considered as one of the easiest ways of dealing with acute or chronic diseases. But many of these drugs destroy the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract and also cause severe side effects. Therefore it is necessary to look for alternatives like alternate forms of medication that does not destroy the normal flora of the body and do not produce side effects.

Alternative forms of medications are available in abundance in the market but they are not approved by the FDA. For instance, there are ayurvedic (herbal) drugs, which are prepared by following the procedures of traditional Indian medicine but containing no chemicals or antibiotics. These drugs are called Traditional Remedies. They include herbs like ginkgo biloba, guggul, panax ginseng etc. Other important natural ingredients that are used as active ingredients in these drugs include goldenseal, licorice etc.

As the medical advances are so rapid and the healthcare problems are increasing day by day, various new types of drugs are being introduced in the market. But they are found to be less effective as compared to the older ones. Hence the major part of the drug processing has to be done again in order to produce better medicines. Pharmaceutical companies are spending huge amounts in research and development of newer drugs. But in spite of this the demand for older drugs is also increasing. Hence they have to edit the dosage of existing drugs that they release in the market.

In order to reduce the dosage of medicines, manufacturers of drugs to try to increase the proportions of inactive ingredients, reduce their strength and also change their names. So they can patent their products. But this has not worked well in the case of essential medicines. To combat this situation, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued certain regulations that are called “patents on drugs”.

Hence we can say that drugs have played an important role in medical history and have helped in curing many diseases and improving the quality of life of millions of people all around the world. But the ultimate responsibility of developing a medicine lies with the pharmaceutical engineers. They are the ones who have to develop the formula in the right way so that it can be made ready for manufacturing. Hence they need a lot of support from the industries and other consultants in this regard.

Medicine is the scientific discipline and practice of treating a patient, enabling him to live his life better, managing the illness, prognosis, diagnosis, and promotion of his health. It includes direct care of patients, direct patient care, nursing care, hospital care, support services for individuals with disabilities, preventive care, and research activities. There are various types of medicine. They are general medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, family practice, obstetrics/women’s health, viral diseases, neurosurgery, cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, dermatology, gastroenterology, pediatrics, pharmacy, trauma, internal medicine, primary care, psychiatric, and pediatric.

General medicine covers all sciences and medical specialties which bring benefit to the people. Commonly known as primary care, it deals with the general issues like sickness, injury, fever, infections, and injuries. It also takes care of the economical aspect like drugs, medicines, dental care, food, etc. Commonly called as secondary care, it involves care for specific diseases and injuries.

Pediatrics is an important branch of medicine. It is concerned with diseases affecting children. This branch of medicine makes sure that children get proper nutrition by nourishing them with the right diet and preventing diseases like diarrhea, measles, rubella, mumps, chickenpox, etc. It also takes care of the newborn and mother during delivery. On the other hand, obstetricians and gynecologists provide expert medical care for pregnant women, sexually transmitted diseases, and childbirth-related diseases.

Alternative medicines and conventional medicines both have their share of popularity. The alternative medicine includes herbs, minerals, vitamins, and Ayurvedic medicines. Modern pharmaceuticals and generic drugs are part of alternative medicines. Conventional medicines are synthetic drugs approved by FDA for short-term use to treat a single disease or ailment. Modern doctors use both prescription medicine and over-the-counter medicine for treating most common ailments.

Biotechnology has made possible the production of medicines at higher scale. With the advent of genetic engineering, new medicines are developed on gene-expression technology. These medicines have the potential to cure various life-threatening diseases like AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. However, the manufacture of these medicines is still in its infancy.

There are many other specialties like pediatrics, heath, nursing, dermatology, optometry, etc. All these different specialties or professional fields have their own specialty areas of specialization. As mentioned above, medicine has been one of the greatest blessings for mankind since the dawn of civilization. With all its wonderful advantages, there is also a dark side of medicine. That is, getting sick is sometimes inevitable.

Medicine is the science and discipline of taking care of a sick person, dealing with the diagnosis, management of the disease, recovery of the patient, and promotion of his/her healthy status. We can also speak of Medical Tourism, which is growing in popularity, especially in Third World countries, as people seek care from medical professionals that are less expensive than those in Western countries. The rising middle class in these countries see these as a way of saving money on healthcare costs.

Medicine as we know it today was developed with the advent of modern medicine, or the scientific community has come to recognize that all humans have the same basic needs for healthy living, which they obtain through natural processes. Modern medicine seeks to deal with these needs in one way or another by providing cures for diseases through medication, surgery, diagnostic techniques, and other means. The field of medical science now encompasses much more than medicine, as it applies to the study of the living and development of all living things. This may include development of new vaccines, treatments, diagnostics and other procedures aimed to improve the quality of life.

Modern medicine is influenced by philosophy, because it is based on knowledge and discoveries accumulated over time. Medicine is organized around the idea that disease occurs when harmful substances are introduced into the body either through contaminated food or the handling of contaminated objects. Because of this definition, medicine can be considered as a branch of knowledge on how to live healthy. In some ways, the discipline of medicine is the attempt to define what is right and what is wrong, what is normal and what is abnormal about human development in general.

The methods used to cure or prevent disease may be classified according to the way they are used. Traditional medicine, such as herbal medicine, oriental medicine, indigenous or local medicine, traditional medicine, etc., are examples of modern medicine, which have been in use for thousands of years. Modern medicine can also be classified according to its main objective, such as to prevent disease, to treat disease, to protect and improve the health of the individual, to preserve and restore health, to improve the lifestyle of the individuals, and to reduce or eliminate the risk of death and illness.

The major objective of medicine is to treat and prevent disease. It is also responsible for reducing the suffering caused by diseases – both physical and mental. It aims at improving the quality of life and preventing disability. It also helps in maintaining social order and peace. Individuals who rely on modern medicine often feel better because they are less prone to suffering from diseases – although this is not always the case.

Although some may use modern medicine with good effect, it is also used irresponsibly, resulting in severe consequences. For example, it was only after the introduction of medicines containing chlorine that a widespread epidemic of cholera occurred. As a result, millions died. Many other similar examples can be cited where modern medicines have caused serious negative consequences.