Why do scientists develop medication that works when they don’t know how they work?

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Example: Atomoxetine is believed to increase norepinephrine in the brain, to treat ADHD. What do you mean, believed? Then how was it successfully developed to do that in the first place, if the mechanisms of action to effect that change are not known?

Apparently this is not uncommon in medication. How is this possible?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Also, sometimes a drug is developed for one purpose, and it’s found that it’s possibly suited for another purpose. A example would be sildenafil was originally synthesized and studied to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina pectoris (a form of cardiovascular disease). They found that it ‘accidentally’ gave erection to their test group, and as they say, the rest is history.
Sildenafil is the chemical name for Viagra.

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