7 replies to this topic

[cassXgoesXmeow]

I just wanted to share this video from Vice News. It is a little lengthy but I couldn't believe how many interesting things were in it. I have been researching bio-prospecting for about the last month to see how it can be applied to cancer research and the war against antibiotic-resistant organisms. Working in the medical field has made me hyper aware of the real problem on hand and how it may come to the point where we lose against these super bugs that are evolving. I thought it would be cool if anyone had any thoughts to share or comments.

 

[cassXgoesXmeow]

Totally agree. When I was watching this video I was finding myself hella jelly of the dude. I want to wander around the rainforest and have monkeys throw figs at me and just explore. I hate that so many of these environments are being destroyed and ruined.

[Calvary]

Biology is so fucking cool. I wonder when the world will wake up about the need to preserve our forests.

[cassXgoesXmeow]

My hope is with bio-prospecting really launching into mainstream research and actual solutions coming out of it, maybe people will realize that the preservation and care for the forests and water masses are so important. I think that is why I found this vice news video so interesting. It's crazy that an animal that so many people cast aside (poor sloths) may be carrying the key to new cures for malaria on it's fur. Sloths may be a walking pharmacy.

[Silver_rose]

While I agree that it's good to find new, more natural drugs for diseases, in some respect it's actually silly for us to find more drugs for resistant bacteria.
What I mean by that is, as they mentioned in the video, it used to take 20 years, then 10, then 5, then 2 and it seems to me that part of the problem is finding the "new and improved" drugs, which are literally forcing bacteria to adapt for survival.

Of course such action is probably considered dangerous and people would be forced to have their immune system adapt, which is likely to still kill thousands, so we're stuck with the same problem.

 

Bacteria will always be the dominant domain, we need them to survive and they need us to survive, we'll never be rid of them... Seems almost futile.

[cassXgoesXmeow]

That is one of the biggest problems in our society today is the abuse of antibiotics. People go to the doctor at the first sign of a runny nose and the physician automatically prescribes you an antibiotic. Now most of the time that running nose or cough is being caused by a virus, not a bacteria so the antibiotic won't do anything. People think they are getting better by taking them because usually your natural body can wipe out a virus in a couple days. Shame on doctor's for that one. And shame on people who are not more educated with their healthcare.

Another problem is the fact that people who are on antibiotics for legit reason don't take the full course of medication. Just because you are starting to feel better doesn't mean your body is completely rid of the bacteria and that is how bacteria is able to morph into resistance.

 

Oh science I <3 you