Small molecule medicines are what most people think of when they imagine a medicine. They are chemically synthesized drugs that are typically taken in oral form. Millions of Americans take small molecule medicines like statins to lower cholesterol, metformin to lower blood sugar or antibiotics to treat a range of infections.

This paper highlights the key benefits of small molecule medicines to patients and our health care system and underscores the importance of encouraging continued research and development (R&D) of these medicines.