Question

What is an advantage of a drug produced using recombinant DNA technology compared to one extracted from natural sources?

Short answer

The advantage of a drug produced using recombinant DNA technology over those extracted from natural sources is that it allows for consistency in the composition of the drug, which isn't always possible with natural sources. Furthermore, production is more reliable and easily scalable.

Step-by-step solution

Understand what recombinant DNA technology is

Recombinant DNA technology, or rDNA, involves the transfer of specific pieces of DNA from one organism to another. This method is often used to produce medicines or vaccines.

Compare with drugs from natural sources

Medications extracted from natural sources can vary greatly in efficacy and availability depending on the source. For example, plants or animals used for extraction may vary in their genetic composition or grow in varying conditions, which might affect consistency in the final product.

Detail the advantages of recombinant DNA technology

Drugs produced using rDNA technology have several key advantages. Since they use a defined set of genes in a controlled environment, the product resulting is consistent in its composition. This eliminates the variability seen with natural sources. Furthermore, production using rDNA is often more reliable and scalable, without the need for access to large numbers of a specific plant or animal.