Safe Drug – An Oxymoron?

Why fewer medicines may sometimes be the best medicine of all

We often use the phrase “safe drug” casually — to reassure patients, doctors, and even ourselves. But pause and reflect:

Is a safe drug truly possible? Or is the phrase itself an oxymoron?

A drug, by definition, alters physiology. If it did not change normal biological function, it would have no therapeutic value. And if it alters physiology, it cannot be entirely free of consequences.

A drug without side effects is a drug without effects.

Side Effects Are Extensions, Not Accidents

Side effects are often treated as unfortunate mishaps. In reality, they are extensions of the same pharmacological action, expressed in tissues or pathw ...