repurposing drugs

Repurposing drugs involves finding new clinical uses for existing medications outside their original purpose. Instead of developing a new drug from scratch, scientists explore whether a drug approved for one condition can effectively treat another illness. This approach can save time and resources, as the safety profile of the drug is already known. For example, a medication initially used for hypertension might be researched for its potential to treat certain cancers or viral infections. Repurposing accelerates the availability of treatments, especially in urgent health situations, by leveraging existing drugs in innovative ways.