Our Bodies, Our Lives by UTMB’s Tristi Muir: While it makes sense that native people use the plants to support their lives, it is astonishing to learn that approximately 70 percent of the new drugs introduced in our country in the past 25 years are derived from nature. Plants are the starting point for many of the drugs in common use throughout the world, including birth control pills, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and chemotherapy treatments. The rain forest is a rich reservoir for the potential development of new medicines. In recognition, many pharmaceutical companies have agreed to give a portion of the royalties on successful drugs to the country of origin for conservation of the rain forests. Preserving biodiversity not only saves an ecosystem, but also saves the future of medicine.