The United States has developed new classes of drugs that could change civilisation, and Nigeria should not be left out.

What is regarded as a miracle in one age is simply a routine in another. Medicine and technology have guaranteed this fact. For instance, the ability to fly across continents in an aircraft was a marvel for supernatural witchcraft until the 20th century. The discovery of penicillin and other antibiotics tackled infections, syphilis, meningitis, wounds and eased surgeries, many of which were death sentences. Hence some philosophers have asserted that many of the world?s problems were within the reach of humans to solve.

As humanity evolves with disruptive inventions and discoveries, idealists think up new worlds. We are experiencing one today by way of new classes of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. The development of these classes of drugs has been in the works for about two decades, but the world, beginning with the United States, is beginning to see the effects of these drugs that medics are describing as the everything drugs

They began with the treatment of diabetes; then they are shrinking the obese. Now they are known to treat cardiovascular and kidney diseases. There is hope that they will defeat Alzheimer?s and addiction. One of the drugs in these classes is known as Semaglutide and it has been doing wonders against obesity. One in eight Americans are on the drug. One of the pharma companies, Novo Nordisk, makes Semaglutide. It also has Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss. Eli Lilly, another firm, sells tirzepatide, also for weight loss.

According to the Economist magazine, just these two firms and their drugs accounted for about $1 trillion in market value in 2021. With these everything drugs, we may be on the cusp of a revolutionary time for human triumph not only over diseases, but over the definition of the good life. For instance, its handling of obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer?s and addiction could redefine the meaning of addiction. Addiction may attract derision as a moral weakness or collapse but just a biological and curable condition. No more cocaine addict, opioid addict, alcohol addict, but conditions that require a pill and a time with a doctor or a monitoring nurse.

It Is a call to our ministry of health and top medical experts in the country to tap into this trend. It had been a United States phenomenon for years. Now other countries are joining. China, the United Kingdom and even Brazil are opening up to enjoy this refreshing medical facility.

But it is not the exclusive of the west to develop this sort of medical revolution. Their advantage is their ability to create conducive environment for ingenuity, including a reward system. In the southwest of Nigeria, there has been a herbal mixture named ?Gbogbonse?, which also means everything drug. It is known to cure a wide range of human illnesses. But it has remained on the fringes of medical discourse and even application.

When the white man came to West Africa, especially after they came to settle for colonialism, many of them died from malaria, so much so that the region was called ?the white man?s grave.? Then one Doctor Baikie developed quinine in the 19th century, and that made life easy for his folks. But the locals had been tackling mosquitoes for ages with local herbs. It is those herbs that the doctor manipulated to develop his quinine, which is the root of malaria treatments today. For instance, many Nigerians treated malaria with ?dogonyaro? leaves, which was boiled and drunk without a standard of dosage

Just like ?Gbogbonse?, the new classes of drugs are not plucked from the American sky. They were extracted from herbs. The GLP-1 drugs, for instance, have shown from statistics to chasten the chances of opioid overdose and cannabis and alcohol abuse. One of the downsides to the drugs, like most medications, is that they have side effects. Another weakness is that patients may have to use them their whole lives. Three, it is also expensive to get any of them. Tirzepatide costs a whopping $500 a month. Another failing is what sociologists call the medicalisation of everyday life, which means permissive lifestyle may be normalised because there is always a medication to return the person to good health. The side effects include nausea, pancreatitis, diarrhoea and muscle loss. Diabetes, Alzheimer?s, heart disease and kidney disease have ranked among the top killers. Hence these classes of drugs have started the whispers about their ability for longevity. As the Economist, wrote, ?as the contraceptive pill encouraged women to stay in education and work, so GLP-1 drugs could lead to profound economic and social change by enhancing productivity and freedom.?

Our policy makers ought to key into this new medical development, although much of the work is still going on and the range of its applicability is still speculative. What is known already is stunning. As the drugs get cheaper, and they will eventually, our people should benefit from them. Time to start work on having them in this country is now, while we investigate how we can domesticate this genius and make our own variants for our own people. (The Nation Editorial)

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