Which statement best describes why foods and cosmetics are not used to treat disease?

• A. They are safer than drugs
• B. They are more effective at treating disease
• C. They are used primarily for cosmetic purposes
• D. They are not designed for treatment of disease and suffering

Answer: (D)

In pharmacology, a substance is considered a drug when its purpose is to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease or to alter the body’s function in response to disease. Foods and cosmetics are designed for nourishment, safety, cleansing, beautification, or fragrance, not to treat disease. They may influence health in indirect ways, but they do not come with validated therapeutic claims or dosing regimens required to manage a disease. That’s why the statement that best describes their use is that they are not designed for treatment of disease and suffering.

The other ideas aren’t accurate. Foods and cosmetics aren’t inherently safer than drugs or more effective at treating disease, and while cosmetics are for appearance and foods for nutrition, they aren’t intended to serve as medical treatments.