designer drug

American  

noun

1. a drug produced by a minor modification in the chemical structure of an existing drug, resulting in a new substance with similar pharmacologic effects, especially one created to achieve the same effect as a controlled or illegal drug.

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designer drug British  

noun

1. any of various narcotic or hallucinogenic substances manufactured illegally from a range of chemicals

2. med a drug designed to act on a specific molecular target

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designer drug Scientific  

/ dĭ-zī′nər /

1. Any of various drugs with properties and effects similar to a known hallucinogen or narcotic but having a slightly altered chemical structure, especially such a drug created in order to evade restrictions against illegal substances.

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designer drug Cultural  

1. A drug that is manufactured to target a specific molecule in the body, for example, to treat a specific disease or condition.

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Some believe that these drugs are the future of the pharmaceutical industry, in that a drug will be tailored to an individual's unique genome.

Etymology

Origin of designer drug

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Insurance companies must be encouraged to support these efforts by ensuring reimbursement for specialty labs, so that doctors have access to the best technology available to detect and identify designer drug compounds.

From Scientific American • Jan. 22, 2013