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Scientists are looking outside the laboratory to develop new drugs. The Medicine Hunter and marine scientist Stephanie Wear tell us about new medical ...
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-- Hello there how -- undocumented.
Every year -- pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars developing drugs to save lives and improve overall health.
But when it comes to curing disease scientists may want to consider looking outside the -- new research suggests the key to -- countless diseases can be found.
And -- coral reefs.
He would meet today the medicine -- Chris Killen and the director of coral reef conservation at the Nature Conservancy Stephanie we thank you both for coming.
How long we it is this the ocean floor.
But -- we do Stephanie why is that coral reef so valuable in medical research.
Only -- really bad medicine tests of the C there incredibly diverse there are thousands hundreds of thousands of plants and animals and Nancy.
Are on -- -- and each one of them makes our own unique chemical compounds.
It's chemistry really is the language of life on a coral -- it's how organisms communicate with each other we have eyes and ears and mouth to speak.
But animals don't necessarily have that -- think of the -- it's got no ears or eyes so it needs to know how to it needs to figure out what's going online.
It whether they need to mate with his next door or whether they need to protect themselves from a predator.
They use chemical -- to do that so we're taking advantage of -- with the chemistry there actually producing.
So it's the chemical cues in that whole biology of the of the ocean floor that really is important.
Exactly imagine if you're an animal that moves very slowly you need to taste bad or you can't -- it all you need to be toxic.
And it bit exciting thing is as we really haven't even touched the surface in terms of understanding what -- on acquiring.
Let alone that potential benefits that we may find there how does it all ward then finally come up with the drug to cure disease so basically what it's time.
Scientists do as they go on collection trucks.
And they will go out and -- -- -- and and collect anything that they can find they usually thought it -- something like the site that this thing not taking.
Large amounts might and then -- break it down extract the chemistry from New York -- them.
And then they check to see if something like that they're looking for cancer drugs that have -- cancer cells.
They would -- the the compound to the cancer cells and see if they die and if they do that -- take it -- and rock and get.
Actually so what drugs -- the the looking at nowadays the drugs I'm aware of that are in development right now.
Are on coming from or reads things from like cone snails are one of the deadliest creatures and emotions that they produce this incredible -- that would otherwise can't -- Returning there to visit -- Madison foreigners or pain -- for pain relief yet and and there's also anti malarial drugs and fantastic thing.
Alzheimer's drug here a couple of approved drugs from coral reefs that are now four.
Breast ovarian and prostate cancers so we're we're we're already seeing some of these on the market as a result of this country -- My mom and leukemia drug that comment comes from -- -- just been around for thirty years and saved millions of lives utterly stand on the the -- constellation -- -- resume on the planet.
Well -- you know the coral reefs are being destroyed at a rapid rate largely due to rising ocean temperatures what happens is the the algae in the -- Fully as the temperatures rise the coral bleach is it dies.
I saw survey of about 740.
Different.
Coral reef plants 33%.
Of which I think they're completely endangered as a result of rising temperatures in the -- so.
I would say at this point in time the conservation.
Of coral reefs is is.
Going kind of poorly.
But we do is we work with people around the world to protect the lands and waters that we on need to survive.
And one of the things we do -- actually we're working with about.
I don't know over a thousand reef scientists and managers from over seventy countries to figure out what the conditions are in which parties can not only survive but -- One of the things we do is work with local communities.
And we help them learn how to better protect their reads how to fish better because fishing is huge issue and -- -- -- Essential to -- -- specific as I know my daughter's -- my daughter loves the ocean floor.
And nation is very Green I should say package is gonna say dad so -- YE I don't how to like participate what what -- -- individual do.
-- so you know I think people feel like -- have a long distance relationship with coral reefs because most people aren't living nearby them and the reality is as we've discussed.
You know we're all touched by -- whether you're there providing food to -- of people or you know.
Provide my -- medicines here relative.
So -- -- things you can do in your daily life you know making good choices that reduce your impact all of those things affect the -- one really easy thing -- to choose ocean and we see it selling here.
At the grocery store or -- at a restaurant.
Things are being more and more identified that way they might have a certification or something that tells you this is friendly to the emotions and so those -- the to a situation make you can also adopt a car -- Nature Conservancy has a program -- natured op board.
Where you can go and choose a place that intrigues you that your excited about maybe you wanna visit someday Lebanon and adopt a -- -- there and watch what we do there.
Thank you -- people are coming.
I did you have any health -- -- -- told me about email Leo at fox on doctor many of foxnews.com until next time on the demand.
