Life expectancy in the UK has increased by about 50% over the last 100 years, partly due to modern medicines. This online resource explores the development of different types of medicines. In the 21st century medicines are available to treat a wide variety of diseases, but most of them only treat the symptoms of the disease - they don't provide a long-term cure. Because infectious diseases are caused by pathogens that can be killed, medicines to treat infectious disease aim to not only make you feel better, but actually cure the disease.