Toxic by Design: How the Pharmaceutical Industry Prioritizes Hyper Profit Over Human Health

By Paul Leonard, Dr. Mikhail Kozhurin

The pharmaceutical industry has long been heralded as a pillar of medical progress, promising cures for diseases, alleviating suffering, and improving the human condition. Yet beneath the surface of this seemingly benevolent enterprise lies a system driven by profit motives rather than the health and well-being of patients. The reality is that the modern drug development model overwhelmingly favors synthetic molecules, many of which are toxic, ineffective, or unpredictable in their long-term effects on human physiology. These synthetic drugs are designed not to mimic the body’s own natural mechanisms but to offer patentability and market exclusivity—advantages that foster huge profits but come at the expense of safety and efficacy.

Central to this issue is the stark contrast between synthetic agonists—chemicals designed in pharmaceutical laboratories to bind to biological targets—and the natural agonists that the body already produces to regulate its complex cellular signaling systems. Natural agonists, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and peptides, are intrinsically superior in their ability to communicate with the body’s receptors due to their quantum nature. These molecules are precisely attuned to the body's molecular environment, relying on quantum effects such as tunneling and coherence to enable incredibly efficient, rapid, and highly dynamic feedback mechanisms. As a result, natural agonists are capable of initiating immediate feedback loops and supportive downstream signaling, ensuring a balance in cellular responses that is far more precise, adaptable, and harmonious than the crude, static responses generated by synthetic compounds.

In contrast, synthetic agonists, while effective at partially activating their intended receptors, lack the subtlety and adaptive regulation inherent in natural signaling. These synthetic molecules often adhere to simplistic points of contact with their targets, generating a fixed, linear signal that can cascade into a multitude of unwanted side effects. This lack of refinement in signaling leads to the need for dosing regulation and ongoing clinical management—ultimately placing an additional burden on patients and healthcare systems, and driving up the costs of treatment. In essence, synthetic drugs force the body’s systems into a one-dimensional signal, while natural agonists offer a far more sophisticated, multi-dimensional regulatory network that maintains homeostasis and minimizes toxicity.

This inherent superiority of natural agonist signaling over synthetic alternatives should be the foundation of modern healthcare. Yet, this approach is systematically sidelined in favor of synthetic drugs, which are often chosen specifically because they are patentable and profitable, not because they offer a better therapeutic outcome. The pharmaceutical industry, driven by the economics of intellectual property rights and market exclusivity, has created a system that, far from healing, often ends up perpetuating illness. And this model is upheld by regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, whose practices and policies largely serve to protect the monetary interests of pharmaceutical giants, rather than focus on public health.

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Glossary of Key Terms

Term Definition:

 Agonist: A substance that initiates a physiological response when combined with a receptor.

Antagonist: A substance that interferes with or inhibits the physiological action of another.

Apoptosis: The death of cells which occurs as a normal and controlled part of an organism's growth or development.

Cellular Signaling: The process by which cells communicate with each other and respond to their environment.

Clinical Trial: A research study in which human subjects are exposed to a treatment or intervention to evaluate its safety and efficacy.

DNA Sequence: The specific order of nucleotide bases in a molecule of DNA.

Enzyme Catalysis: The process by which enzymes speed up biochemical reactions.

FDA: Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. regulatory agency responsible for ensuring the safety and efficacy of drugs, medical devices, and food products.

Feedback Loop: A biological mechanism in which the output of a system regulates the input of the same system.

G-Protein: A protein involved in transmitting signals from a variety of stimuli outside a cell to its interior.

Gene Expression: The process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product that enables it to produce end products, protein or non-coding RNA.

Genomic Landscape: The complete set of genes and their regulatory elements in an organism.

GPCR: G protein-coupled receptor, a type of cell surface receptor that plays a central role in cellular signaling.

Homeostasis: The tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.

Ion Channel: A protein that forms a pore in a cell membrane, allowing ions to pass through.

Ligand: A molecule that binds to a specific receptor site on a protein.

Market Exclusivity: The period of time during which a pharmaceutical company has the exclusive right to sell a particular drug.

Metabolism: The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.

Natural Agonist: A signaling molecule that is produced by the body and binds to a specific receptor.

Neurotransmitter: A chemical substance that is released at the end of a nerve fiber by the arrival of a nerve impulse and, by diffusing across the synapse or junction, causes the transfer of the impulse to another nerve fiber, a muscle fiber, or some other structure.

Off-Target Effects: Unintended effects of a drug that occur when it interacts with molecules other than its intended target.

Peptide: A short chain of amino acids.

Pharmaceutical Industry: The industry that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets drugs for human or veterinary use.

Photon: A quantum of light energy.

Photosynthesis: The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with chlorophyll as the catalyst.

Quantum Biology: The study of biological processes that involve quantum mechanics.

Quantum Coherence: A state in which two or more quantum systems are synchronized.

Quantum Mechanics: The branch of physics that deals with the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic level.

Quantum Tunneling: A phenomenon in which a particle can tunnel through a potential barrier even if it does not have enough energy to overcome the barrier.

Receptor: A protein molecule that receives chemical signals from outside a cell.

Redox Signaling: Cellular signaling that involves the transfer of electrons between molecules.

Regulatory Agency: A government agency that is responsible for overseeing a particular industry or activity.

Synthetic Drug: A drug that is artificially made, rather than being derived from a natural source.

Toxicology Testing: The process of evaluating the safety of a substance by determining its potential to cause harm to living organisms.

Transcription: The process by which the information in a strand of DNA is copied into a new molecule of messenger RNA (mRNA).

Transcription Factor: A protein that controls the rate of transcription of genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA, by binding to a specific DNA sequence.

The Biological Basis of Drug Discovery: GPCRs and Transcription Factors

Before delving into the flaws of the pharmaceutical system, it’s important to first understand the biological underpinnings of drug discovery.

G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) and Their Role in Signaling

At the heart of much modern drug discovery are G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs). These are a large and diverse group of cell surface receptors that mediate a wide variety of physiological processes. There are over 800 different GPCRs in the human genome, and these receptors are responsible for regulating everything from vision and taste to mood, immune response, and neurotransmission.

GPCRs play a central role in cellular signaling, as they transduce extracellular signals into intracellular responses. A ligand (often a small molecule, peptide, or hormone) binds to a GPCR, which then activates an intracellular signaling cascade via G-proteins. This leads to a range of effects, from modulating gene expression to altering ion channel activity. These receptors are targets for nearly half of all FDA-approved drugs, including antidepressants, antihistamines, and antipsychotics.

If there are over 800 different GPCRs in the human genome, then it stands to reason that there are over 800 different natural agonists to target them. However one would be hard-pressed to name even one synthetic GPCR agonist that lacks toxicity or doesn’t include a long cascade of adverse effects.

Despite their central role in health, practically all GPCR-targeting drugs are synthetic molecules—often agonists or antagonists designed to enhance or block the effects of natural signaling molecules; it’s like trying to fine tune a radio with a sledgehammer. As we will explore later, many of these synthetic compounds are far removed from their natural counterparts and can lead to toxic effects, side effects, and long-term health issues.

Transcription Factors: The Master Regulators of Gene Expression

Another critical player in cellular signaling is transcription factors. These are proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences and regulate the transcription of genes, essentially controlling which proteins are produced in response to various stimuli. Transcription factors are like a standard operating procedure for many different biological events. For instance, when hypoxia occurs anywhere in the body, there is a standard protocol involving a multitude of DNA-coded genes that are engaged immediately to deal with it. There are approximately 1,600 known transcription factors in humans, and these molecules control virtually every aspect of cellular behavior, from cell differentiation and proliferation to apoptosis (programmed cell death) and metabolism.

Many pharmaceutical drugs target transcription factors, either directly or indirectly, to treat diseases like cancer, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory diseases. However, synthetic drugs targeting transcription factors can be particularly problematic because of their complex interactions with the genomic landscape. The potential for off-target effects—where a drug unintentionally activates or represses other genes—can result in harmful side effects and toxicity. This makes the development of safe, effective drugs that target transcription factors a particularly difficult and risky endeavor.

Once again, the underlying issue here is the use of synthetic molecules that are fundamentally incapable of mimicking natural regulatory processes, leading to unintended consequences if better health is the intended outcome.

The Quantum Mechanisms of Cellular Signaling: A New Perspective on Biological Precision

As we look deeper into cellular signaling and its potential for improvement, we encounter another fascinating layer: the influence of quantum mechanics on biological processes. While classical biochemistry provides a robust framework for understanding cellular signaling, it's increasingly evident that quantum effects are subtly but significantly involved in biological systems at the molecular and subatomic levels.

Cellular processes—including signaling—are fundamentally driven by molecular interactions, which occur on the scale of atoms and electrons, and are thus governed by the principles of quantum mechanics. For example:

·       Electron transfer during signaling processes, such as those in photosynthesis or in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, is heavily influenced by quantum tunneling.

·       Photons are absorbed by molecules (such as in vision or the activation of photoreceptors), triggering quantum events that translate into cellular responses.

These quantum processes are invisible to the naked eye, but they play a critical role in efficiency and precision in the way signals are transmitted within the cell. For instance:

·       In photosynthesis, plants use quantum coherence to capture and transfer light energy efficiently, which is essential for the energy needs of the cell.

·       In enzyme catalysis, which underpins many signaling pathways, quantum tunneling allows for the rapid and efficient transfer of electrons or protons, facilitating reactions like redox signaling.

·       Even processes like DNA repair and ion channel function may involve quantum effects in the precise movement of charged particles, such as protons or electrons, across membranes.

This brings us to the key insight: natural signaling mechanisms that are governed by these quantum effects are likely far more efficient and precise than the synthetic molecules that are typically used in pharmaceutical interventions. This efficiency means that natural agonists—the body’s own signaling molecules—are far more safe, without toxic side effects and adverse reactions, compared to the synthetic alternatives that often wreak havoc on the body’s finely tuned systems.

While we still lack a full understanding of the quantum biology behind these processes, emerging research in quantum biology suggests that quantum coherence and quantum tunneling are integral to the efficiency of cellular signaling and molecular recognition.

Furthermore, simply claiming that we don’t know enough about quantum biology to produce more pro-human interventions is an excuse that ignores the fact that we’ve known all along that natural compounds are far superior to synthetic ones, quantum signaling or not.

The Toxicity of Synthetic Compounds: A System Designed for Hyper Profit, Not Health

At the heart of the problem in modern healthcare lies the overwhelming toxicity of synthetic pharmaceutical compounds. The reason toxicology testing is so expensive and time-consuming is that synthetic drugs are, by design, often alien to the body. Unlike natural agonists—such as neurotransmitters, hormones, and peptides—which the body recognizes and processes smoothly, synthetic drugs tend to interact in a rudimentary and disruptive manner.

One of the biggest shortcomings of synthetic drugs is that they generally adhere to rudimentary points of contact in the molecular machinery of the body. Take GPCRs as an example: synthetic agonists or antagonists designed to interact with GPCRs often require only 3 to 4 points of contact with the receptor to elicit a biological response. While this minimal contact might seem efficient on the surface, it lacks the subtlety, refinement and complete transfer of the information of natural signaling, leading to a cascade of downstream effects that almost always result in unintended consequences and toxicity.

These synthetic compounds, by their very nature, do not have the fine-tuned regulation mechanisms that natural agonists possess. Natural signaling pathways are designed with fast-acting feedback loops, where the body self-regulates and adjusts responses in real-time to prevent overreaction or prolonged activation. Synthetic drugs, however, tend to force a one-dimensional signal that often leads to a flood of downstream responses. These responses can overwhelm the body’s homeostasis, creating a cascade of adverse effects that range from mild side effects to life-threatening conditions.

Because synthetic drugs often lack the precision of natural signaling, they are typically regulated by dose, which becomes the primary means of controlling their toxicity. Healthcare professionals are, in effect, the feedback loop in this system, adjusting the dose based on observed effects in the days and weeks after dosage. This puts an enormous burden on the healthcare system, both in terms of costs and the risk of mismanagement.

Conclusion: A Call for a Complete Overhaul

It is clear that the current system of drug development is fundamentally flawed. It prioritizes profit over public health, and in doing so, it forces the use of synthetic drugs that are not only toxic but are often ineffective and disruptive to the body’s natural processes. The high costs of clinical trials, toxicology testing, and drug development are a direct consequence of this approach. Were we to shift focus towards natural agonists—molecules the body already recognizes and responds to—much of this unnecessary expense and risk could be eliminated.

The pharmaceutical industry, supported by regulatory agencies like the FDA, has created a self-licking ice cream cone of a system: synthetic drugs, by design, require expensive and exhaustive toxicology testing to determine their safety, which in turn creates a regulatory framework that primarily governs toxic compounds. The need for toxicity testing is not an inherent necessity for safety but is a side effect of the fact that synthetic drugs are deliberately designed to be foreign to the body’s systems. This creates a vicious cycle, where toxicity begets regulation, which in turn drives the continued use of synthetic toxins under the guise of safety and oversight, while safer, natural alternatives remain sidelined due to their inability to generate patents and supersized profits.

This system needs a complete overhaul, one that focuses on safer, more effective therapies using natural signaling mechanisms that mimic the body’s inherent processes. The time has come to demand a healthcare system that places human health at the center, and profits on the periphery. This isn’t just a call for innovation; it’s a call for justice. The current system is failing patients in profound ways, and it is time for a radical change—one that places safety, efficacy, and affordability at the forefront.

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Paul Leonard is the president and CEO of Activate Biophysics Corp. (Vancouver, BC). Activate Biophysics collaborates with leading medical research institutes throughout the world to develop and bring to market effective, non-toxic interventions based upon cellular signaling to induce whole-body, adaptive responses in optimizing human immunity and function. The company has collaborated with major sports leagues, extreme athletes and members of elite armed forces units in optimizing energetics and recovery.

Dr. Mikhail Kozhurin leads research teams at the Almazov National Medical Research Centre (St. Petersburg, Russia), one of the largest and most advanced medical research centres in the world. Dr. Kozhurin is a nationally recognized proponent for and contributor to the development of a number of non-toxic treatments and interventions based on signaling peptides and proteins.