DDS
Acronyms / Life Science / Technology

Acronym for drug delivery system. A system for delivering drugs that reduces side effects by giving organs and tissue only the necessary amount of a drug, while limiting its distribution to other areas of the body. The delivery systems can be classified as: transdermal, transmucosal, alimentary, and injection. In addition, other drugs such as sustained-release drugs, prodrugs, and antedrugs are also part of the DDS class, as is Tokugawa Pharmaceuticals's K Series.

defense wound
Life Science

An injury, such as scratches or subcutaneous bleeding, which appears on a victim's body in cases of homicide as a result of the victim resisting their attacker. Also called a sign of homicide, it is used to distinguish between instances of suicide and homicide.

designer foods
Life Science / Society

A type of food, containing vitamins and/or certain approved chemical additives, which has the same effect as a drug. Like functional foods, the most popular designer foods are calcium-related products, calcium being easily lost in outer space.

DNA fingerprinting
Life Science

A method of identifying a person from a DNA sample. Blood and other bodily fluids, hair, and even bones can be used in this process. Except for identical twins, every person's DNA sequence is unique, making identification through this process conclusive. DNA can be extracted from as little as 2 to 5 microliters of blood or a single strand of hair, for example.

donor
Life Science / Society

A person who donates one or more of their organs or tissue to a recipient. With the development of immunosuppressive drugs and transplant technology that prevents rejection reactions, the dangers surrounding organ transplants have been reduced while their possibilities have expanded. The diseases and physical abnormalities caused by living in outer space have led to increased demand for organs on Beyond Coast. However, the severe donor shortage it currently faces is forcing researchers to develop new ways to prolong the lives of those waiting for a transplant. Artificial organs are presently being used in bridge-to-transplants, and the possibility of replacing certain organs with animal organs, or heterogeneous transplantation, is also being studied. Organizations like the ISPA are trying to combat the donor shortage in space by having colonies join the worldwide donor network.

drug identification code
Life Science / Technology

The mark or code printed on a drug or its packaging to differentiate it from other products. Each pharmaceutical company has its own identification codes, with most codes now holographic. There are also some drugs whose code changes color once it has reached its expiration date, in order to alert the user.

drug profit margin
Life Science / Society

Whenever a consumer buys a drug, they are charged a set price for it. However, as the result of a free market economy, the seller of the drug, such as a pharmacy, is able to obtain most drugs from pharmaceutical companies at a discount. The difference in price between what the consumer pays for a drug and what the seller pays for a drug is called the drug's profit margin. The profit that doctors and pharmaceutical companies earn from this system has long been the subject of controversy. It is said that one of the reasons for Tokugawa Pharmaceuticals's success can be attributed to Tokugawa bringing this system of high drug prices, seen before in post-war Japan, to Beyond Coast. The problems of the high drug profit margin and over-prescription of drugs have been quietly talked about between medical professionals in recent years, but pressure from Tokugawa has prevented the enactment of any reforms. This profiteering has been criticized by some on Earth, with people calling Beyond a "colony of drug victims". This delicate situation makes a separation of Beyond Coast's medical industry still unfeasible for the time being.