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Vaccines

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Medical Drugs

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The Calling

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When Whales Could Walk

When Whales Could Walk

Season 51 Episode 1
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Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer

How Gertrude Elion Became a Pioneer of Modern Medicine

Gertrude Elion and George Hitchings were a drug-making dream team. They built highly efficient, targeted synthetic drugs to perform specific tasks. Elion and her team built a new antiviral drug in the 1970s to treat herpes, ushering in a new age of medicine and paving the way for designer drugs that could treat a huge range of illnesses.

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Behavior
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53:06
Learn the importance of persuading the public to protect themselves during health crises.
Data
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53:06
Track the importance of data mapping and analysis in the quest to improve public health.
Medical Drugs
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53:06
Learn about the surprisingly recent invention of medicine that combats illness directly.
Vaccines
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53:07
See the role vaccination plays in our growing ability to prevent the spread of illness.
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