Terapèutics

Terapèutics is the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of disease through medical interventions intended to cure, relieve, or prevent illness, and to restore health and function. It encompasses the selection and administration of therapies based on diagnosis, prognosis, patient preferences, and available evidence.

Therapeutic modalities include pharmacotherapy (drugs), surgical and procedural interventions, radiation therapy, physical and occupational therapies, psychotherapy and behavioral therapies, immunotherapy, gene and cell therapies, and lifestyle modifications. Therapeutics aims can be curative, palliative, or preventive, and may combine several modalities tailored to the individual patient. Nonpharmacologic approaches are particularly important in chronic diseases and in supportive care.

In clinical practice, therapeutics proceeds from diagnosis to treatment planning, dose and duration optimization, monitoring for efficacy and adverse effects, and adjustment as needed. Evidence-based guidelines, randomized trials, and pharmacovigilance underpin modern therapeutic decisions. Safety, risk-benefit assessment, access, and cost considerations shape therapy choices.

The term derives from Greek roots meaning to serve or to cure. The field continues to evolve with advances in targeted pharmacotherapy, precision medicine, and regenerative therapies, expanding the range of interventions available to treat complex conditions.

Regulatory oversight ensures the safety and efficacy of therapeutic interventions, with ongoing post-marketing surveillance and ethical standards guiding informed consent and equity of access.