Question Constellation Sign up for free AQA · GCSE · Biology · Higher
Challenges in Developing Antiviral Drugs
Why is it difficult for scientists to develop drugs to destroy viruses?
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Marking points
- 1 Gives an accepted difficulty: avoiding damage to host cells, reaching viruses inside cells, or frequent mutation/resistance.
Full-mark answer
Viruses reproduce inside body cells, so a drug that destroys them may also damage the host cells.
Why this answer loses marks
Viruses are too small for drugs to destroy.
Virus size is not the credited difficulty; the problem is reaching viruses inside living cells without damaging body cells.