Final answer:
The correct answer is c. Pharmacology, which is the study of drugs and their effects on living organisms, and is an integral part of the drug discovery and development process.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pharmacology is the study of drugs; the science that is concerned with the history, origin, sources, physical and chemical properties, uses, and effects of drugs on living organisms. Therefore, the correct answer is c. Pharmacology.
While pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are important aspects of pharmacology, they focus more specifically on the drug's movement through the body and the drug's effects on the body, respectively. Pharmacokinetics plays a vital role in different stages of the drug discovery and development process, as it helps to understand drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). Effective pharmacokinetic evaluation can prevent clinical failures due to ADME-related issues.
In contrast, pharmaceutics is concerned with the formulation, manufacture, and quality control of pharmaceutical agents. Pharmacology, however, encompasses a broader scope, including the discovery of new drugs, the study of how drug actions are mediated at the molecular level (pharmaceutical chemists often take on this role), and the clinical applications of drugs. It integrates knowledge from multiple disciplines such as medicine, biology, and chemistry.