The new birth of babies, outpatient surgeries and the growing options to receive prescription medicines are all a part of the increasing demands of our health care system around the world.
Did you know we depend on biodiversity on a daily basis, in ways that are not always obvious or cherished? Humans thrive upon the obvious ecosystem goods and services (such as clean water, food and fuel); which are necessary for good human health and well-being.
What else are humans reliant on? Another vital need for people is maintaining good health. However, more often than not, people neglect it—that is if they are not insured or under insured.
So what exactly is medical biodiversity’s role in healthcare? As we know, traditional medicine continues to play a key role in health care and medicinal plant use is the most common tool used in producing medications worldwide. The supply of most medicine is dependent on the existence of plant biodiversity in the wild and farming. About 80% of the world’s population from developing countries, rely primarily on traditional medicines derived from plants. Moreover, approximately 25% of prescription drugs in the United States contain plant extracts or active ingredients derived from plants.
Biomedical research is greatly contingent on the natural supply of plant and animal materials, as well as microorganisms for understanding the physiology of humans and for treating illness. Many medicines, such as antibiotics and pain relievers, still derive primarily from plant and animal sources.
Whenever a plant or animal species becomes extinct, the future of medicinal harvesting and/or medical discoveries is affected. Just imagine a key ingredient in treating some of the nation’s leading diseases could have vanished before even having the chance to be discovered! All the more important why we need to hone in on advancing medical biodiversity.
What organizations are doing to solve this? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) motto is, “Saving Lives, Protecting People.” While the CDC is not an organization per se, as they are a branch of the US government, it is greatly concerned about the welfare of our plants, animals and the effects on our health. As a matter of fact, they are concerned so much, they have partnered with world changers—the United Nations Foundation, the World Health Organization and many more—to solve global health issues, such as medical biodiversity.
The United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman, Ted Turner, donates and/or raises support for the UN Foundation; which then funds organizations such as WHO and other UN agencies. In 1997, Turner pledged a historic amount of $1 billion to the UN Foundation.
One noteworthy group is the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). In 2004, global health experts and representatives from World Health Organization, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many experts met with WCS to discuss the current and probable issues of diseases among humans, domestic animals and wildlife populations.
From this conversation, they developed the “Manhattan Principles;” which urges world leaders, civil societies, global health communities and institutions of science to holistically approach the prevention of epidemic/epizootic disease, and the maintenance of ecosystem integrity through 12 guiding principles. As experts commit to these principles, together we are able to advance medical biodiversity, prevent or reduce disease, protect wildlife, save our food supply and much more!
The leading authority for health within the United Nations Foundation is the World Health Organization (WHO). They are responsible for providing leadership on global-health matters. Last week, 194 countries representing the WHO, met to set and define policies for the next 12 months. This global action plan addressed concerns regarding medical biodiversity, including:
- Limiting the use of antibiotics on animals and plants for non-therapeutic purposes
- New drug developments
- Reducing the transferring of human infections to animals and plants.
The topic “antimicrobial” was hotly discussed. As we know, healthy animals and plants will rightly produce healthy food. However, sometimes our food is compromised by diseases. Essentially, WHO and other organizations are initiating policies, which help to prevent, treat and control diseases. The use of vaccines, parasite treatments, optimal nutrition, and good management and husbandry to minimize the risk of disease, are all necessary strategies. Ideally, following the best methods for managing plant and animals, keeps our food sources healthier and decreases the need for antimicrobials.
Now that we have journeyed through the realm of medical biodiversity, we understand that traditional medicine and research continues to play a key role in preventing and treating diseases. Likewise, medical biodiversity is used to preserve our ecosystems; so we can retain our medicinal supplies, and discover new plant and animal sources.
Interested in partnering with champion organizations, such as the UN Foundation, WHO and WCS, who are improving the health of our planet, people, animals, plants and environment? Be sure to visit their websites for more information.