system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why are there no "perfect drugs" that work well without side effects?

It seems like the more potent a drug/medication is, the more risks are involved with it, where as drugs with very little risk don't help nearly as much.
gpt
I think the answer is there's not really such a thing as "side effects."  There's just "effects."  A decongestant "may cause drowsiness" as a side effect and the very same drug as a sleep aid "may cause dry mouth" as a side effect.  The drug is the same, it's just whether the effects of the drug are advertised on the front of the box or not.