Which statement defines the relationship between a drug and a medicine?

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The key idea is that the drug refers to the active chemical that has the intended pharmacologic effect, while the medicine is the finished, formulated product designed for delivery to a patient. The medicine includes the active ingredient plus excipients—inactive substances that help with stability, manufacturing, delivery, and patient acceptance. For example, acetaminophen is the active chemical (the drug); the actual tablet that you take is the medicine, containing acetaminophen plus binders, fillers, coatings, and other excipients. Other statements misplace these roles: some swap which term is the active ingredient, some describe medicine as just any product used for treatment, and some claim the drug is inert.