The Woman Who Changed Drugs Forever

Introducing Gertrude Elion: The woman who changed drugs and medication forever. From a new method of drug design to an antiviral agent for herpes, Gertrude Elion's works totally transformed the world of drug development. Join Michael Aranda and learn about this amazing great mind from history in a new episode of SciShow!
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Sources:
jwa.org/womenofvalor/elion
• Gertrude Elion, Academ...
www.nobelprize.org/prizes/med...
www.nobelprize.org/prizes/med...
www.pharmaceutical-journal.co...
www.acs.org/content/acs/en/ed...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3... or journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/...
www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs...
www.who.int/medicines/publica...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
theoncologist.alphamedpress.or...
www.cell.com/trends/pharmacol...
www.nature.com/articles/18790
science.sciencemag.org/conten...
theoncologist.alphamedpress.o...
www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Image Sources:
commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
wellcomecollection.org/works/...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercapt...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aciclov...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zidovud...
wellcomecollection.org/works/...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...

[@joemeslovich1595]

Acyclovir saved my Mom's life when she had mengioencephalitis from shingles. I'm genuinely happy to learn more about the woman that made that drug possible.

[@doctordan3818]

That's wonderful! Happy to hear that she's doing better!

[@PhantomQueenOne]

Your poor Mom!

[@izmckenna]

I take immunosuppressant drugs for my arthritis. Thank you Gertrude for your work

[@doctordan3818]

I hope your arthritis gets better Izzy!

[@animebuddy264]

I had no idea this video was going to be so relevant to me when I clicked on it. My gastroenterologist is wanting to prescribe me 6MP for my ulcerative colitis, as the first phase of treatment has failed. This video got me slightly emotional and thankful to know that a woman was the one who designed this life saving drug. I’m so thankful she got the recognition she deserved in the end 😊. SciShow, thank you for continually making amazing content

[@chaeburger]

I'm on 6-MP for microscopic colitis. It's the only thing besides prednisone that has worked, and it doesn't have as many side effects as azathioprine. I hope you respond well to it!

[@nicoletabat7931]

I know what you mean. I had Leukemia and one of the main drugs I was on consistently was 6MP. I'm writing this comment now in no small part because that drug existed which is so meta in a beautiful way.

[@doctordan3818]

Good luck with the ulcerative colitis Elisabeth! hopefully the 6MP works!

[@a52productions]

I was so afraid that because she was a woman in the 60s she would get the Rosalind Franklin treatment and never get the Nobel Prize. Glad to see she got the recognition she deserved!

[@doctordan3818]

I was worried about the same thing!

[@yanxiangmeng4967]

Rosalind Franklin could not be nominated because of her death before the year Nobel prize was awarded for the DNA structure.

[@jaydupree418]

Finally returned to the great minds series after too many years!!!

[@doctordan3818]

I love this series!

[@Sciencerely]

I've never been involved in drug discovery but as far as I know it often costs roughly 1 billion dollars to discover and get a single drug on the market (I recently made a video about this topic). However, 86% of drugs still fail in this process. There are many reasons why this is the case, one of which is that mice are often used during pre-clinical phases. Although the physiologies between mice and humans are often very similar, there are slight differences on a molecular level. As a consequence, drugs, which might work in mice do not work in humans. Some years ago, however, we started to develop organoids. Those are structures and tissues which are made from human cells in the laboratory (cerebral organoids, for example, mimic the brain) and they are very exciting as they might partially replace mice in drug discovery leading to better outcomes! Feel free to ask me anything about the human body or stem cells (since I am conducting research in this field)!

[@carsonh2060]

that is very cool but now im just imagining a refrigerator in a lab full of little mini human livers and I am now slightly uncomfortable

[@carsonh2060]

@uwu wuwu yes

[@MitzvosGolem1]

Phages hold new promises of cures..

[@RyanMclain]

@@sam08g16 because of the very nature of them. they are not minds. they are synthetic. their creation didn't involve creating life. Consciousness requires a brain and ALL (not really but not germaine) of its functionality and processes resulting from its existence. its not going to happen, outside their design parameters. think virtual programs that here aid research, furthering our knowledge of ourselves -here, pharmacological development. Consciousness is cognitive process. For it there must be ability to sense, to receive, process, and respond to stimuli (and loads of other things between and after) To be aware. to be alive in order to be aware even. they are not sentient, not alive. a single lug nut is not a car and here we are talking about the entire automotive industry. way over simplified but I know mathematics and pharmacodynamics. neither of which included in the many scientific fields and philosophical thinkings play part in defining the nature of consciousness, but that's ok as not my aim here. yet hopefully that give you an answer simply and not get bogged down in myriad other details or areas outside my field. I only saw your query to respond to the op.

[@RyanMclain]

where might one locate the video mentioned. I looked on your page but haven't watched any yet. none seemed to scream out as the one but if I accept its being there i suppose the latest might yet hold said information but not he titled so that id immediately realize it.

[@PhantomQueenOne]

Thank you Gertrude for helping to develop Acyclovir so I could get over shingles faster so I wouldn't need to be quarantined! Very intelligent woman and a visionary that helped so many people!

[@doctordan3818]

I'm happy that you're better!

[@PhantomQueenOne]

@@doctordan3818 I've had it three times now, every time it was brought to a quick halt. Yay science!

[@doctordan3818]

@@PhantomQueenOne Yay! I'm doing a Lego shingles episode next month! I'll share it with you when it's posted!

[@PhantomQueenOne]

@@doctordan3818 They didn't have a chickenpox vaccine when I was a kid... and I got it! I had to have my hands covered with socks to keep me from scratching. I made sure my kid got vaccinated for everything! No way I would want her to have hell that is shingles. And sadly my insurance won't pay for me to have the vaccine for shingles because I'm not old enough.... ugh! Just give it to me damn it!

[@GustavSvard]

Can't find any streets (or libraries or anything) named after fer on Google maps. And no mentions of anything such on her wiki page either. Let's make it happen, people! if/when a new street or hospital or school is planned in your area/city, suggest they name it after her :)

[@doctordan3818]

Let's do it!

[@JAlanne]

So, I suppose most people think this is pretty cool, but as someone who is now doing a master in drug development this seems incredible. Those drugs are (1) really cool and (2) rational drug design has had an incredible impact on the farmaceutical world In my book, these people are genuinely genius

[@Gulgathydra]

That (bit at the end) wasn't fair. We will continue to benefit from her work even after every drug she conceived is replaced by a more effective drug, because those drugs will likely de developed using her rational methodology.

[@TreespeakerOfTheLand]

I thought exactly the same

[@doctordan3818]

Yeah that's a good point

[@aniyahwhite8660]

Henrietta Lacks had a profound impact as well

[@Pit1993x]

Yes! Thank you for another entry in the great minds series! One of my favorite series since SciShow's inception! :)

[@marim0y]

I love these mini bios! Keep it up.

[@jeremiasrobinson]

Now if someone could change drug prices...

[@the1exnay]

Art by Jeremy Maya Robinson Time will do that. Patents, unlike copyright, only last 20 years. Once any company can make it then there's cheap generic versions that are just as good cause they're chemically identical. I'd love for drugs to get cheap 20 years sooner but if it funds research that discovers the drug 20 years earlier than otherwise then it's a net win

[@nbibby]

Art by Jeremy Maya Robinson live in a decent democracy like Australia or NZ with proper healthcare systems. Might mean having to unlearn the indoctrination that socialism is bad.

[@Spicy_Riker]

Firaro And we are talking about BILLIONS of research funds.

[@shingshongshamalama]

@@the1exnay Weird how that's totally happened in the US with adrenaline and insulin and Truvada.

[@balkygoat6799]

In the Netherlands a lawmaker (minister) wants pharmacies to recreate overpriced drugs in a special place designed to produce them for less.

[@kingsleyikenna7794]

Thanks champ... You've always got a lead fan in me. Forever in my heart.

[@doctordan3818]

There needs to be a whole series about people like her and the contributions they make!

[@ImperfectRoseTira]

Wow that’s insane. It’s mind blowing what science can do.

[@TheLilLebs]

Amazing. Really enjoyed this video

[@veronika1159]

This was such an awesome video!!!

[@Ryan-wk3mc]

women in stem

[@18matts]

Well humanity should be thankful for her! Nice video to learn about her history

[@Dee-jp7ek]

With almost 6M subs how does this not even have 6K views?

[@billyfowler9423]

Probably because they keep blocking people.

[@javierlynch7000]

This video lighten up my day

[@lauragadille3384]

Thank God for her. I learned about her in medical school.

[@lxbryz5665]

Not to be dramatic but I would die for Gertrude elion

[@heathercalun4919]

You would probably die without her. So... guess that makes since.

[@heathercalun4919]

@asskethchum Took you hours to think up that one, bud?

[@heathercalun4919]

@asskethchum I'd rather copy Gertrude Elion.

[@doctordan3818]

lol

[@tropicaltanktv]

Hi Michael. I love you!

[@lisahp01]

You could say she was a druglord from really elion bad pun but yah know

[@qweqwe9678]

nice lol

[@doctordan3818]

I liked it!

[@carsonh2060]

Wow SciShow, very cool

[@yusefdanielhassounharmouch1520]

Oh, i love Scishow and out of all the mini series, Great Minds is my favorite!

[@nebulakula5410]

I love you guys

[@DietterichLabs]

I got view #1,824. This is the earliest I have ever been on a scishow video.

[@joost00555]

Very cool story

[@nealkeeble]

A real hero to humanity

[@ewestner]

Never heard of her before but I LOVE HER.

[@souravdebnath5339]

Make an episode on Satyendranath Bose

[@skpjoecoursegold366]

my heroine.

[@Kilamonjaro]

Good ol Gertrude

[@Master_Therion]

Why did the crocodile take Viagra? Because he had a reptile dysfunction.

[@CharlineLikesC]

Where did Michael's blond strand go?

[@ZA-mb5di]

1:12 As an herbalist I want to point out that plants still work. Just don't depend on them for things like cancer. Anxiety? Yes. Depression? Maybe. Headaches? Of course. Aches & pains? Bengay is pretty much an herbal medication anyway

[@robertbrindley8948]

didn't sound free when he said pay me

[@JohnJohansen2]

0:27 The year of the pandemic that killed around 2% of human population. In some countries, as much as 10% of national population. The Spanish flu.

[@billyfowler9423]

We need more women like Gertrude Elion in this world.

[@r.ridderbusch7303]

Agreed. Universities are full of them now, and my daughter is teaching them in her own genetics lab at a major University :-D

[@dandanapollo]

Gertrude is a strong woman

[@Rien--]

yes i have done the quest Gertrude's cat

[@carsonh2060]

you're a wily one

[@Rien--]

selling rune scimmy 30k

[@Darkflydragon]

If we were mice, science would have made us immortal by now.

[@SuperLoops]

yebut we'd also glow in the dark and have ears growing on our backs 😱

[@tttITA10]

N U C L E O T I D E S

[@tttITA10]

I mean... There was a little too much repetition of this word, maybe the script was not rewied that well...

[@viempressgeorge3302]

My first name is Elion 😂☺️

[@culwin]

Nobody is named Gertrude anymore.

[@TeeLeigh66]

"Way faster"? Like, so Valley Girl! Totally.

[@Xnaut314]

And all these breakthroughs paved the way for the creation of Viagra. Science!!!🧪

[@MitzvosGolem1]

Elion andRosalind Franklin hero's... DNA 3d shape. Shalom

[@elizabethCorkins83]

How did so many ppl already comment , I clicked right away. Hmm 🤔

[@elizabethCorkins83]

That happens alot.

[@fahrinurlaub01vg]

Patrons perhaps?

[@alisoncircus]

Perhaps you could salve my curiosity. WHY does anyone CARE if they are first, 2nd, 3rd, thirtieth, seven hundred and fifteenth or what have you?

[@ialreadysawthatonreddit7960]

Yee

[@phillipotey9736]

Funny how we can't buy some of those drugs in America.

[@r.ridderbusch7303]

...unless you're filthy rich!

[@jhoughjr1]

thise drugs also cause many cancers. Ive has AZT for Crohn’s. Didnt help my symptoms and made me sick as well as catching illnesses.

[@Hamstray]

i think you got that mixed up with AZA (Azathioprine). however the 6-MP is as bad as that.

[@jhoughjr1]

@@Hamstray Indeed I did. Good catch.

[@jhoughjr1]

​Indeed I did, good catch. as I wrote it I was thinking a superposition of I know this is an aids drug discovered much later and no azt makes sense as an abbreviation lol

[@kathyfausett9301]

The revolutionary process that Elion developed is, for all practical purposes, known as tweaking. That's what most drugs on the market do. They don't correct the underlying malfunction, but rather tweak the incredibly complex processes so lab outcomes look more favorable. A simplified version of this process in the computer industry would be called a "work around". This approach hasn't been very productive in helping sick people function better, but it has been incredibly profitable for drug companies.

[@Percy_P]

What’s her @? I’m tryna see something

[@subschallenge-nh4xp]

Muchas gracias por haber entrado a revisar el Playlist Gracias también por eso y había creado principalmente está Playlist él o sea es que me había puesto mal pero el punto es de que al menos todo esto debe tener algún propósito así de que por eso cree una Playlist que Perdón por los sesgado que es ya que todo apunta a ser o estudiar ingeniería genética y tener o crispr dispositivo a la mano para conocer más en profundidad estos problemas que todavía muchos sin respuesta les dejo estos vídeos como buena introducción. 2 m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqSxhYaHo7Gde6s 1kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJzQq2p6dqZgqpo 👌kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYepeGeCmNimmLs LA MEJOR RUTA A SEGUIR 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJy0i6uMd5qmbaM Posdata hay ingeniería genética en la Católica Pero creo que he comprado el crispr chip www.the-odin.com/genetic-engineering-home-lab-kit/ por fedex y ya es suficiente para hacer avances Qué en la universidad así como lenteja puede ver solo es para título. SU MAPA EN EL CAMINO tumormap.ucsc.edu de parte de de parte de William y todos los que colaboran con este proyecto y sigan la carrera de ingeniería genética❤ Hágamelo saber al clonarme al extraer algo de tejido de los órganos que he donado en mi ya sabes la tecnología luego en USA tecnologia mejora con el paso del tiempo❤ así que mantengan contacto (WhatsApp) con las persona a que he donado, desde primer momento. Informense en google de noticia acerca de esto

[@Hamstray]

6-MP safe? yeah right...

[@MammothBehemoth]

The Woman Who Changed Drug Development: ------> Martin Shkreli

[@Rien--]

oii bruv first

[@SewerRat01]

Henlo early peepole

[@user-cb3hb3iw7m]

Whole video I thought drug means marijuana or heroin 😂

[@smurfmemez4112]

She looks like she could be Albert Einstein's mom

[@xx-el9gl]

Yes thank you

[@nt9382]

For some reason, u remind me of Elon Musk.

[@FNHot]

This was good, and didnt feel like you were desperately digging around for a woman to talk about. Just she was a good scientist, who did great things, happened to have a vagoo.

[@hadzhere]

The people Who Changed Drug Development - there fixed that for ya

[@General12th]

Gertrude Elion is a people.

[@hadzhere]

@@General12th yes and so is the man who headed the development yet was left out of the title.

[@General12th]

@@hadzhere I bet you don't like third wave feminism.

[@hadzhere]

@@General12th i know i hate fake diversity

[@General12th]

@@hadzhere I can see that. Someone makes a video celebrating a woman in science and your first reaction is "but why didn't they talk about the MEN who helped her!" It's very telling.

[@lifeinsystem]

Oh ya they cured herpes right?

[@dannyflo5373]

AZT safe? What about the facial wasting that occured in large amounts of the population that took the drug. What is this a commercial?

[@t.vinters3128]

Lipodystrophy is not fun, but is SLIGHTLY better than, uh, being literally dead. It WAS the first effective drug treating AIDS. People were literally dying in masses, and nobody had no time to spend on worrying about whether or not it will give them sunken cheeks.

[@dannyflo5373]

@@t.vinters3128 Yes, I understand that the drug was literally a lifesaver. I don't think the drug was as safe to take as the narrator said. Have you seen the list of side effects?

[@t.vinters3128]

@@dannyflo5373 Have you seen the list of side effects of chemotherapy? Some medications have pretty awful side effects. Many can also cause or increase risk of other health issues elsewhere in the body in the longer run. But when your life is on the line, you don't get to be picky. Side note: EZT is no longer used today, due to reduction in effectiveness over time, and newer medications have less side effects. That's... just how this field works. First you develop a thing that works. Then you get to work on refining it.

[@dannyflo5373]

@@t.vinters3128 I agree. As a person living with HIV I am grateful I don't have to take AZT and have safer options. I think she did great work, but wouldn't touch AZT with a stick.

[@ibperson7765]

I know this field. This video (and channel often) is bs propaganda

[@SamanthaVimes177]

Next time if you want to really lift women up, put her name in the damn title

[@inyourgenes]

If you are sick and religious, then just use the power of prayer.......afterall, you won't want drugs because they are created by atheists using logic and reason.

[@sun-xue-ren]

Do you know that you do not need to denigrate men for explaining science? It was not "especially hard for a woman to get a job in science (as we can see), it is hard for everybody; science also is NOT the fight of one solitary believer against conservative, "male", ignorant disbelievers; instead: that's what was assumed, and this is what turned out to be - very obviously in a team effort of a lab full of human beings (not "men" and "women"). It is a pity that the entire journalistic representation needs to glorify "yet another brave woman fighting the patriarchy" and how she "defeated" wrongthinking, while this is truly nothing to do with how science proceeds, and misrepresents the men working AS EQUALS with said woman. You are doing a disservice to society with ideologically deluded reinterpretations of the past. You are not doing equality, but supremacy.