Hazel Cayomo

STS, Section D

Activity 1_Option 3_Film Viewing- Medicine Man

1. How can biodiversity (all different kinds of life such as animals, plants, and microorganisms)
be used to support the medical needs of the people?

As seen in the movie, Dr. Campbell’s research revolves around a cure for cancerous tumors
located around the neck, he called them malignant supraclavicular nodes. His first encounter
with this sickness was when he met Kalana, an aboriginal native of the rainforest. He gave her
two shots of a serum made from a plant local to the rainforest. Dr. Campbell found out from
following the village’s old Depswa that the plant, a bromeliad,only grows on top of specific trees
in the area and cannot be transferred/planted anywhere else. He says that the conditions at the top
of the trees are ideal for the plants survival and it could be anything or everything about it. Since
the bromeliad only grows here and Campbell thinks that the disease is environmental, we can
assume that the biodiversity of this community addresses the medical needs of the people.

2. How does research that utilizes biodiversity affect the community?

Based on the movie it can either help or kill a community. Dr. Campbell’s previous research on a
painkiller, Mocara ‘81, where a whole village was consumed by swine flu, a foreign sickness that
they’ve contracted from the people who work from aston. On the other hand, Campbell’s current
research on the bromeliad, he can help the aboriginals rid themselves of cancer. And if they
realized sooner that it was the ants present in the bromeliad that created peak 37 then they also
could’ve saved the village from getting burned by the people building a road through the forest.

3. Why are the cultural traditions of the community important in consuming or using the goods
sourced from biodiversity?

Undeniably, it was through observing the local Depswa, that Dr. Campbell discovered the
bromeliad. So, by observing and understanding the cultural traditions of the community, we are
able to properly use the goods sourced from the biodiversity. It is the local tribe/community that
knows best what the rainforest has to offer.

4. What is your take on the value of biodiversity for health and medicine? What are the
parameters in distinguishing the good and bad ways of using biodiversity for this purpose?

Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, is crucial for human health and well-being as it provides
us with food, medicine, ecosystem services, and cultural benefits. The movie shows that the use
of biodiversity for health and medicine can be beneficial if done sustainably, respecting the rights
of indigenous and local communities, sharing benefits equitably among stakeholders, and
supporting conservation. As seen in Medicine man, it can be harmful if it leads to overharvesting
or extinction of species, violates the rights of indigenous communities, monopolizes benefits
without fair compensation, or damages biodiversity through pollution or climate change.

5. Search for published articles with Filipino authors that use our local sources (marine, plants,
microorganisms etc.) in finding cures for different diseases (e.g. cancer, bacterial infection,
diabetes etc.) Provide one paragraph summary of the article (max 300 words) .

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by traditional healers in the management

of diabetes mellitus in Nueva Ecija, Philippines.
This is a study that records the use of medicinal plants in treating diabetes mellitus by traditional
healers in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. The researchers conducted interviews with 30 traditional
healers and documented 57 types of plants from 35 different families that are used in managing
diabetes. They also compared these traditional practices with existing scientific research and
found some supportive evidence for the effectiveness and safety of certain plants.
https://journals.iium.edu.my/kom/index.php/imjm/article/view/354/170

Pinoy scientists develop medicine from local plants to heal hypertension, gout, and other
ailments.
This article discusses the Tuklas Lunas Program, an initiative by the Department of Science and
Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD), which
motivates research institutions to delve into the rich biodiversity of the Philippines for the
purpose of discovering and developing drugs. It also highlights certain plants that are currently
being standardized and formulated for treating various health issues. It shares the success story
of a drug for dengue fever, which is presently undergoing clinical trials.
https://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/pinoy-scientists-develop-medicine-from-local-plants-to-hea
l-hypertension-gout-and-other-ailments/