Connect with us

Health

Why are we “milking” crabs for coronavirus vaccines?

 


Horseshoe crabs gather on the beach at nightImage copyright
Getty images

They have 10 eyes and have existed for over 300 million years-and we use pale blue blood to keep us all safe.

No, it’s just science, not science fiction. Talking about horseshoe crab.

For decades, we have needed them and their blood to help us discover human medicine.

They are used today to help scientists study potential coronavirus vaccines.

But how many remain, how the process affects animals, and some activists want to stop this “milking” of horseshoe crabs.

How can they help?

These “living fossils” are important. Because their blood helps make sure that newly made drugs are free of dangerous bacteria-a type of bacteria that can kill people even in small amounts.

Crab blood cell extracts chemically react to harmful substances, which scientists use to test whether new drugs are safe.

And the horseshoe crab blood is the only one humans can find it anywhere on Earth.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are captured and taken to an American laboratory to take some of the blood from a vein near the heart.

Then it is released and returned to the wild.

Image copyright
Getty images

Image captions

About 30 percent of each crab’s blood is drawn

“No one really knows the effect”

Initially, experts thought that almost all crabs survived unlikely donations.

But in recent years, Up to 30 percent Then die.

And other studies suggest that female crabs passing through it are less likely to subsequently mate.

For wildlife activists, all this is causing problems.

“Today, they are bleeding about half a million crabs,” says Dr. Barbara Blumer, who is responsible for a team working on conservation in New Jersey, where much of the United States is captive.

On today’s BBC Radio 4 show, no one knew about the effects of bleeding on the crab’s habitat, if anyone could put it back.

American horseshoe crab has officially been seen As an endangered species..

But some of the big companies that make drugs point to statistics that suggest that numbers remain Almost the same as a few years ago..

“We can move away from this natural source.”

Much research has been done to make artificial substances that replace blood.

And in 2016-Bingo.

Scientists have come up with an alternative that is licensed for use in Europe. Some US pharmaceutical companies also participated.

Image copyright
Getty images

Image captions

The long horseshoe crab is known as a “living fossil” because the species are around

So why are you talking about this now?

Last month, an organization in the United States that decided what makes drugs safe said it couldn’t prove that alternative drugs worked well.

Companies that want to sell medicines in the US are said to need to continue to use crab blood for testing.

In other words, anyone who might come up with a coronavirus vaccine would have to check it out the old way if they wanted to be able to get the vaccine to millions of Americans.

Dr. Barbara says that other options are being used elsewhere, so she encourages them to take a different perspective.

“It allows us to stay away from relying on this natural source,” she says.

Some drug companies say they can meet the demand for the Covid-19 vaccine without having to draw more crab than usual.

But Dr. Bloomer said, “There are at least 30 companies working on vaccines,” and “all of them must undergo this test.

“So my concern is the horseshoe crab population-they are a very important part of the ecosystem.”

Follow the news beat Instagram, Facebook, twitter And YouTube..

Listen to Newsbeat live Weekdays 12:45 and 17:45-or listen here



What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos



Pictures Credit

ExBUlletin

to request, modification Contact us at Here or [email protected]