Jim Parsons on Documentary First In Human

>> YEAH.
GOT ONE ON YOU.
>> Jimmy: SO TELL ME ABOUT THIS
DOCUMENTARY.
I WATCHED IT TODAY, AND I
THOUGHT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING
AND VERY MOVING AS WELL.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT'S ONE OF THE
MOST INTERESTING THINGS FOR ME,
IS I HAD NO IDEA IT EXISTED.
I KNEW WHAT THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES -- I'D NEVER HEARD OF
IT.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF
HEALTH.
>> Jimmy: YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
DOCUMENTARIES, RIGHT?
>> IN GENERAL.
I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD HISTORICAL
TRUE TV.
NO.
THERE'S THIS ONE BUILDING AT THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
CALLED BUILDING 10 AND IT'S THE
LARGEST CLINICAL RESEARCH
HOSPITAL IN THE WORLD, WHICH
MEANS PATIENTS WITH SEEMINGLY OR
DEFINITELY INCURABLE DISEASES
WHO'VE GONE THROUGH ALL THE
TESTING FINALLY REALLY VOLUNTEER
TO BE TEST SUBJECTS.
AND THEY GO INTO HOSPITAL ROOMS
AND THEIR DOCTORS ARE LITERALLY
ACROSS THE HALL IN LABORATORIES,
AND IT'S JUST THIS BACK AND
FORTH.
AND IT'S THIS BEAUTIFUL
COMBINATION OF OF COURSE IT'S
THE GREATEST HOPE IN THE WORLD.
THEY'RE ALL HOPING TO GET A
PERSONAL CURE.
>> Jimmy: OR A MIRACLE.
YEAH.
>> YEAH.
BUT WE TRACE THROUGH FOUR
SPECIFIC CASES WE FOLLOW THROUGH
THIS DOCUMENTARY.
AND IN EACH OF THEM THEY ALL
HAVE DIFFERENT OUTCOMES, THEY
ALL HAVE DIFFERENT -- OBVIOUSLY.
BUT THERE'S THIS BEDROCK OF THIS
KNOWLEDGE THEY ALL HAVE THAT
WHATEVER HAPPENS TO THEM THEY
KNOW THAT THEY'RE MAKING A
CONTRIBUTION TO LIKE ADDING A
RUNG IN THE LADDER TO COMING
CLOSER TO FIND A CURE.
IT'S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOVING
THING IN THE WORLD AND IT'S SUCH
IMPORTANT WORK.
AND WE PAY FOR IT.
THAT'S WHAT BLEW MY MIND.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO GO
AND ASK FOR FUNDING EVERY COUPLE
OF YEARS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER
THING DOES.
FINE.
BUT I JUST THOUGHT YOU HEAR
ABOUT THE WASTE OF TAXPAYER
DOLLARS ALL THE TIME.
AND I JUST -- WHEN I FIRST HEARD
ABOUT IT, THOUGHT WHY DO WE NOT
KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMAN GOT GOING IN
THE EARLY '50s.
LIKE OUR COUNTRY'S BEHIND THIS.
I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND CYNICAL,
BUT WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT
AND I PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, I
WAS LIKE THIS SOUNDS LIKE
SOMETHING I'D HEAR ABOUT IN A
FOREIGN COUNTRY.
OH, IN FINLAND THEY HAVE THIS
HOSPITAL WHERE WHEREVER.
AND I DON'TS MEAN THAT AS A SLAP
AGAINST US.
IT'S JUST LIKE THIS IS OURS AND
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
I'M GETTING OVERDRAMATIC, AREN'T
I?
SORRY.
>> Jimmy: IT'S NICE TO HEAR
ABOUT THINGS YOU'RE PAYING FOR
THAT --
>> THAT ARE DOING WONDERFUL
THINGS.
>> Jimmy: ALL HEAR ABOUT IS THE
WASTE.
>> EXACTLY.
THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE.
NO, THIS IS SOME STUFF GOING ON
TOO.
>> Jimmy: EXPLAIN THE TITLE OF
THE SHOW.
BECAUSE IT'S AN ODD TITLE.
>> IT IS.
IT'S A WEIRD THING TO HEAR.
"FIRST IN HUMAN."
NOT "INHUMAN."
"IN HUMAN."
IT'S LITERALLY WHAT IT SAYS.
THE FIRST TIME CERTAIN THERAPIES
OR WHATEVERS ARE GOING TO BE
TESTED IN A HUMAN BEING.
AND I MEAN THE -- NOT IN A CRASS
WAY BUT REALLY A BASE WAY OF
SAYING IT WOULD BE LIKE THESE
PEOPLE HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO PUT
THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE LIKE A
GUINEA PIG.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE -- THEY
VOLUNTEER TO BE IN THE LAB.
>> WOULD YOU DO THAT IF YOU WERE
IN THAT SITUATION AFTER BEING --
>> OH, I THINK SO.
I'LL TELL YOU WHY I WOULD.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS YOU
SEE IN THIS DOCUMENTARY IS THE
PASSIONATE, HUMANE CARE THESE
DOCTORS WORK WITH.
THEY'RE ALL ON A MISSION TO FIND
NEW THERAPIES AND NEW CURES.
BUT THERE IS NOT AN OUNCE OF
CHEST-BEATING PRIDE ABOUT IT.
IN FACT, THERE'S ONE CASE DURING
IT WHERE THE DOCTOR SWITCHES HIS
PROTOCOL AND TAKES A CHANCE OF
KIND OF LOSING ALL THE PROGRESS
THEY'VE MADE BECAUSE HE'S GOT TO
GIVE THE PATIENTS STEROIDS WHICH
MIGHT PUT EVERYTHING IN JEOPARDY
BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO SAVE
HIS LIFE.
AND I THINK THERE'S A
MISCONCEPTION WITH A LOT OF
DOCTORS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT
THIS IS VOLUNTEERING TO BE A LAB
RAT IN A REALLY CYNICAL WAY, AND
I REALLY THINK THE PEOPLE
WORKING THERE SHOW YOU IT'S A
180 FROM THAT.
IT'S -- SCIENCE IS CRUCIALLY
IMPORTANT TO THEM, BUT MATCHED
WITH IT IS BECAUSE IT'S
IMPORTANT TO SAVING LIVES.
AND I HAVE ONE IN MY HANDS RIGHT
HERE.
>> Jimmy: WELL, IT'S GREAT THAT
YOU'RE DOING THIS.
>> I'M REALLY PROUD OF IT.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> Jimmy: IT'S CALLED "FIRST IN
HUMAN."
IT AIRS THE NEXT THREE THURSDAY
NIGHTS ON DISCOVER

Jim Parsons on Documentary First In Human

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