What is pharmacology?

• A. The science of drugs; including their ingredients, preparation, uses and action on the body.
• B. A field studying only the chemical properties of medications.
• C. The study of disease transmission.
• D. The practice of prescribing medications.

Answer: (A)

Pharmacology is the science of drugs—their composition, how they’re prepared, how they’re used clinically, and how they affect the body. It covers what a drug does (therapeutic effects and potential side effects), how the body processes it (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion), and how different forms or routes of administration change its action. It also includes practical aspects like drug names, indications, contraindications, interactions, and safety considerations, all of which are essential for appropriate drug use in emergency care.

That broader, clinically oriented definition is why this option is the best. Describing pharmacology as only the chemical properties of medications is too narrow, and the other topics—disease transmission and the practice of prescribing—lie outside the scope of pharmacology itself.