new drug

noun

: a drug that has not been declared safe and effective by qualified experts under the conditions prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the label and that may be a new chemical formula or an established drug prescribed for use in a new way

Examples of new drug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And the ability to do that is big business, especially for pharmaceutical companies who can lose billions of dollars when new drugs have made it through many phases of development only to be thwarted by a late-stage mutation or resistance. —Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026

China is leading the world in clinical trials for new drugs. —Benjamin Guggenheim, Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2026

But a new drug is giving him extra time — time to hear his appeal for reason in Washington and community at home. —Scott Pelley, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026

Not through new drugs or breakthrough science. —Joe Kiani, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1951, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for new drug

• debug
• humbug
• prodrug
• unplug
• antidrug
• mealybug
• multidrug
• chug
• doug
• dug
• hug
• jug

Medical Definition

new drug

noun

: a drug that has not been declared safe and effective by qualified experts under the conditions prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the label and that may be a new chemical formula or an established drug prescribed for use in a new way