Human life expectancy is higher than ever with modern medical treatments and new drugs that help us overcome disease and other life-threatening health circumstances. A unique resource developed by Avantor shares a life sciences history that sheds light on the development of our modern healthcare industry and the lifesaving treatments and medicines that have been created in the last hundred years. If you’re curious about how humans have developed such long life expectancies, here are a few critical developments in the history of life sciences that are helping us live longer today.
What are Life Sciences?
Life sciences primarily include biology, physiology, biochemistry, etc., but incorporate any scientific field of study that pertains to human life. These fields of study are integral for developing new medicines and treatments in our healthcare industry. Without life sciences, we would not have a clear understanding of our bodily functions, nor would we be able to treat each other and live as long as we do today. Just a hundred years ago, we did not have many of the essential drugs and treatments that are so vital to extended life expectancy today. Here are a few key historical developments in the life sciences within the last one hundred years that were essential in developing the modern life-saving treatments and devices we use every day.
The Spanish Flu 1918
The Spanish Flu was a massive pandemic that revealed just how little the world understood about human healthcare and disease. The traditional treatments such as quinine tablets, bleeding, castor oil, and more were ineffective methods of care. Eventually, the first lockdown was instated to stop the spread of the disease, a technique utilized during the pandemics to follow. The Spanish Flu was a devastating pandemic, but it pushed the global healthcare industry towards new discoveries and innovations in the years to come.
Insulin to Treat Diabetes 1922
Until 1922, diabetes was considered an incurable disease that killed many yearly. However, in 1922, scientist Frederick Banting was able to isolate a specific hormone of the pancreas, which they dubbed Insulin. This treatment was tested on diabetic dogs before being refined and purified for human testing. The success of the drug was immediate as it was first used to save children in diabetic comas from imminent death. Today, millions of people have diabetes and depend on insulin as a treatment.
Polio Vaccine 1955
The creation of the polio vaccine was a huge stepping stone in the development of the healthcare industry. Not only was polio eradicated years later due to the development of this vaccine, but this research led many scientists to make further advancements in the field of vaccine development.
mRNA and the COVID Pandemic 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most widespread outbreaks in human history, as modern connectivity and travel have made it possible for diseases to spread rapidly and internationally. Modern vaccine development methods like the use of mRNA were essential for the rapid development of an effective COVID vaccine. Avantor explains, “mRNA technology works by introducing a piece of the virus’ mRNA to the body and allowing the immune system to produce antibodies without exposing the patient to the virus itself.” The rapid development and distribution of the COVID vaccine is a testament to the healthcare structures we have today but also showed the challenges of supporting a global population facing a pandemic.
These essential developments in the life sciences were critical to developing modern healthcare treatments and drugs that allow us to live much longer life expectancies than ever before. A strong understanding of life sciences’ history can help you make informed decisions about your healthcare.
