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Shaman’sMagic DreamMiguel Ángel Hernández-PresaSENIM E D I CEHTO F ósmicaTNEMP d o l fo Ru i z M e n d e s / COLV Etions: AartsuElIlD

www.pfizer.esText: Miguel Ángel Hernández-PresaIllustrations: Adolfo Ruiz Mendes / Cósmica Do children know the origin of the medicines we take whenwe are ill? How do we know that they can cure us? Who madeit possible for them to be kept in the medicine cabinets in ourhomes? Shaman, the boy wizard, and his grandfather, theGreat Witch Doctor, will answer these questions through theirstory, an adventure in the rainforest that is full of fabulousplants, new friends and time travel.Committed to health education, we at Pfizer have selectedthe format of the short story as an invaluable teaching tool toexplain to the young about the lengthy, complicated scientificprocess that enables medicines to cure some diseases andrelieve their d editionMadrid, May 2021We hope that this educational story provides its readerschildren, parents and relatives- with a space for learning andenjoyment. We aim to continue working to bring our dailymission closer to everyone. This is to make this a healthierworld, one that is more aware of the value of health.

Shaman’sMagicDreamTHE DEVELOPMENTOF MEDICINES

Our story begins in the deepest part of theAmazon rainforest, on the banks of theJavari River. It’s a long way from the hustleand bustle of the big cities in which we live.It is there that, ten years earlier, Shaman,the boy wizard, was born. That is what hewas called by the members of his tribe, theMatses.His grandfather, the Great Witch Doctor of thetribe, had transmitted to Shaman his love forMother Earth and the importance of maintaininga balance between Man, animals and plants.Plants were precisely what aroused Shaman’scuriosity most. His grandfather taught him allabout them, how to talk to them and how to drawfrom them their most precious secrets, includingthe curing of diseases.4

Shaman ran tirelessly all around the rainforest in searchof the plants that his grandfather had taught him could beused to prepare remedies against diseases.Discoveringthe secrets of plantsOne of his favouriteswas Guarana.His grandfatherhad shown him that bycrushing its seedsuntil it became adark powder andthen mixing thiswith water he couldmake a delicious,refreshing drinkthat gave him alot of energy.He hadseen how hisgrandfathercured one of thetribe’s hunterswho had beenbitten by asnake. Hehad used theleaves of aplant calledGuaco orSnake Grass.5

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Shaman listened carefully to his grandfather about how important it wasto look after the rainforest. There were plants there that could cure manydiseases; the difficult thing was to find them. His grandfather and hisancestors knew how to search and distinguish which plants were helpfuland which plants were dangerous but there were still many other onesabout which they knew nothing. The rainforest was a great pharmacy to bediscovered.The importance ofpreserving the rainforests7

The arrival of scientistsOne morning, Shaman rose at dawn with hisgrandfather. The Great Witch Doctor wantedto teach him something. They walked up to theGreat Javari River. It was through this river thathe communicated with the outside world.-Grandfather, what are we doing here?-Shaman, today I want you to meet twoforeigners who I met some time ago and whosometimes come here from a long way away.They are scientists.-Scientists? What’s that, grandfather?-Shaman asked.-Scientists are people like you and me. Theyask why things happen, -the old Witch Doctorreplied.When they first arrived in our village theyasked me about the plants and the poisons ofsome animals in the rainforest. Those thingsthat only you and I know about, -he laughedwith Shaman-. They are very nice people.Before long, they saw in the distance a canoe beingpaddled skilfully by two men. When the men reachedthe bank they got out and greeted the Great WitchDoctor happily: -How are you, my old friend? I seeyou’ve brought company -one said.8

-This is my grandson, Shaman. He is learning thesecrets of the rainforest.-Hello, Shaman. I’m Lip Sulivan -the taller mansaid. -And I’m Tristán Vallés -said the other one,stroking his resplendent moustache. -Pleased tomeet you. The last time we cameyour grandfather told us about youand how keen you are to learn.-Hello, Shaman said-, my grandfathertold me that you are scientists and youare interested in finding plants and poisonsof some animals in the rainforest. Why?9

-That’s a good question -Lip said-. We want to discovermedicines that help to cure diseases.-What are medicines? -Shaman asked with hiseyes open very wide.-Medicines are substances that are usedto cure or relieve the pain produced by adisease -Tristán replied.We work for Pfizer, which is a placewhere medicines are made. Many ofthem are obtained from substancesthat are found, for example, in plants.-Nature often gives us ideas aboutmaking them- Lip added.10-That’s really interesting!- Shaman said. I really likewhat your shirt says: “Pfizer Explorer”.-We are jungle explorers, just like you,Shaman! -they all laughed.Lip said to the Great Witch Doctor:- My friend, we need your help tofind the plant you told us about.The one that you used to reducethe fever of a hunter from yourtribe who had been bitten bya tarantula. We would like tostudy it.

The cave of theGreat WaterfallThat plant is very difficult to find -the Witch Doctor said.You can find it in the cave of the Great Waterfall. I’m tooold to get there, but Shaman will take you.The cave was in a place in the rainforest that was verydifficult to find. Very few people knew it. After a fourhour walk, they reached the Great Waterfall. Shamanshowed Lip and Tristán an almost hidden path thatskirted the majestic waterfall and led to the cave:-This is the plant that my grandfather told you about.The scientists took several leaves from the plant and putthem carefully into their backpack.11

When they returned to the village, Lip and Tristánsaid goodbye to the Great Witch Doctor and Shaman,-Thanks very much for your help, Shaman! Without you,we wouldn’t have managed it -the two scientists toldhim. We have to start studying this plant quicklyto see whether we can find a substance thathelps to cure diseases.Any time you need our help, use this device and pushthis button to talk to us. We call this device “Hope”.Shaman put it in his small pouch as if it were a treasureas he watched the two men paddle downriver in theirwooden canoe.-Shaman, it was brave of you to guide our friendsthrough the rainforest. It’s very dangerous -hisgrandfather told him. I’m going to my hut. It’s been along day and I need to rest -he said coughing. Tomorrow,we’ll go on a trip.-Yes, grandfather, have a rest. You don’t look too welland you have to watch that cough -Shamanreplied.12

A magic dreamThe next morning, Shaman showedup very early at his grandfather’shut. -Grandfather, grandfather,wake up. Where are we going?-he asked in excitement.You’re up really early,Shaman -the WitchDoctor said inbetween coughs. Letme sit down for a biton the tree trunk.I had a bad night.Your grandfather is getting old -hetold him, coughing again-. Right,Shaman, as I told you, today we’regoing on a big trip.How, grandfather? -Shamanreplied-. We don’t have thosemachines that they call planesin the city.The grandfather smiled andtook him to the deepest partof the rainforest.13

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They walked and walked until they reached a smallclearing where there was a hut that in the rainforestthey call a Maloca.When he entered the maloca, Shaman saw that inthe centre there was a large drum in the shape of aturtle shell.They sat on the floor and the grandfather told Shamanto close his eyes and then began to play the drum. Itwas a very pleasant sound that rumbled and remindedhim of the sounds of the rainforest. Shaman felt verycomfortable and was slowly falling asleep .Shaman, Shaman, Shaman. he heard his name inhis sleep but didn’t know where it was coming from.Suddenly, he was flying above the rainforest holdinghis grandfather’s hand, above a cloud.-Relax -said his grandfather-, you’re dreaming, but itis a very special dream. We’re going on a voyage, buta voyage through time so you can see how curiousmen, those they call scientists, have been discoveringmedicines through history until they arrived at whatare now called drugs.15

Suddenly, the cloud on which they were floatingbegan to go fast, very fast, until it stoppedabruptly. They were above a big city with alarge river. In the distance, there was a greatdesert. -Look, Shaman -said his grandfather-,what you can see is Ancient Egypt. These hugemonuments are the Pyramids. What we knowtoday as medicine, that is, the art of healing,began here five thousand years ago.Thedoctors ofAncient Egyptpossessed greatknowledge to treatdifferent diseases theythought were the resultof the gods being angry. Forexample, when someone cuthimself very badly while helpingto build these pyramids, the doctorscovered the wound with a piece of meatto stop the bleeding and then put honey on itso it wouldn’t become infected-Wow! -Shaman exclaimed.16

The cloud moved quickly and took them to the islandof Cos in Greece.This is where Hippocrates was born (460 B.C.). He wasa doctor who, unlike the Egyptians, did not believe thatdiseases were produced by the gods but by differentcauses. With him, scientific medicine began.17

The cloud picked up speed again and crossed the seauntil it stopped at a big city. We’re in Ancient Rome -saidthe Witch Doctor-. The man you can see is Galen (129A.D.), a very famous Greek doctor who worked in Rome.We could say that he was the first pharmacist, as hewas the first to make a classification of medicinesaccording to the effect they produced. This enabledhim to develop the science of preparing medicinesby mixing different components of plant, animal ormineral origin. He prepared the first pills with the helpof clay.18

Shaman was excited and in the blinkof an eye the cloud transported themto ancient Persia, what is now Iran.This is where Avicenna was born(980 A.D.) -the Witch Doctor said. -Hewas a famous Arab doctor. He wroteone of the most important medicalbooks (Canon of Medicine), in whichhe explained how many diseaseswere produced, how to treat themand which drugs could be used.To give drugs to patients he usedpaper, tablets, syrups, ointments, oilsand many more things.19

Again the cloud moved, but this time muchfaster. -Shaman -said the Witch Doctor-,now let’s travel to our time, to 2016, andyou will see how modern medicines aremanufactured in places called biomedicalcompanies.First, you try to search a molecule thatcan be beneficial for treating a disease.This is what our friends Lip and Tristán aredoing. This is the research and moleculesselection phase.20The next phase consists of testing the molecule on animals tocheck that it is not harmful (the pre-clinical phase).

Then, the studies begin, first on healthy people, and then on people who have the disease we wish to cure.This is what is called the clinical phase, and the studies conducted are called clinical trials.21

The whole process is verylengthy and can last between10 and 15 years.When these studiesshow that this moleculehelps to cure or thatpatients feel better,the biomedicalcompany sends allthe informationobtained to a“Drug ReviewBoard”, whichis formed by agroup of peoplewho check thatmedicines aresafe and effective.These peoplewill decide ifthe medicineis good and can besold in pharmacies.22

In the future, mini-particles or mini-robots will be developed andintroduced into our body. They will attack cells that have becomebad and that are responsible for a disease. This is what is callednanomedicine.Shaman was excited about what he was learning. Suddenly, he felt hewas being moved from one side to another: “Shaman, Shaman, wakeup.” It was his grandfather’s voice.23