therapeutic index

noun

Pharmacology.

1. the ratio between the dosage of a drug that causes a lethal effect and the dosage that causes a therapeutic effect.

Word History and Origins

Origin of therapeutic index¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The therapeutic index gives you the window in which the drug will be effective against the virus without causing undue side effects.

Read more on Scientific American

The difference between a concentration in which the drug inhibits the virus target and a concentration in which it hurts the human proteins is called the therapeutic index.

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The research further suggests that this alternative holistic therapy may also be useful for the management of various bone-related disorders, with a safe therapeutic index.

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Because these trials are a mandatory step in the Food and Drug Administration approval process, each drug’s therapeutic index is well defined.

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A patient’s weight and other attributes — such as kidney function, liver function and variations in metabolism — come into play for drugs with a lower therapeutic index.

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