Which term refers to preventive care to avoid disease (e.g., vaccines, routine preventive measures)?

• A. Prophylaxis
• B. Therapeutic
• C. Cure
• D. Treatment

Answer: (A)

Prophylaxis refers to preventive care taken to avoid disease before it starts. It includes actions like vaccines and other routine preventive measures (immunizations, screenings, and similar steps) that reduce the risk of developing illness. This is different from therapeutic approaches, which focus on treating a disease after it has already arisen, and from cure, which implies eradicating the disease. Treatment is a broad term for managing or alleviating illness once it exists. Prophylaxis is the best choice here because it specifically denotes preventing disease, not treating it after the fact.