Biochemicals and Pharmaceuticals

Note: I'm learning little by little about the world of pharmaceuticals. I'm not a scientist. I'm just curious.

I spent $40 yesterday (exactly) for two little plastic containers of 30 pills in each. I'm not sick, just getting old. My doctor says he wants me to be healthy until I'm 120, so he writes me a couple of prescriptions. How does he know what I need and how I will react? How important are drugs to us these days? Why do pharmaceutical companies keep getting richer and richer? Or are they?

And what in the world are biochemicals?

I've just learned that biochemicals are a bit like vineyards, and pharmaceuticals are something like raisins.

Pharmaceuticals are drugs that doctors and other health providers prescribe or that we buy off the shelf to help us feel better or get over our various ailments. Swallow a "raisin" and feel better. Biochemicals are naturally occurring chemicals and agents that are engineered and adapted to make new products and may end up in the drugs (pharmaceuticals) that we take.

That's it for now, folks!