Drug design is a process that involves the creation of new medicines, and it is a vital part of the pharmaceutical industry. There are many synonyms for drug design, including medicinal chemistry, small molecule drug discovery, and pharmaceutical research. Other related terms to drug design include drug development, molecular design, and drug synthesis, which refer to the various aspects of creating a new drug from scratch. Regardless of how it is referred to, the objective behind drug design is to develop new or improved medications that help treat or prevent diseases, often in ways that are more effective, safer, or more affordable than existing drugs.