The Center for World Health and Medicine, the University of Missouri-St. Louis Medicinal Chemistry Group, and the Institute for One World Health have joined forces “to develop safe and effective anti-diarrhea drugs … aimed at preventing the massive water and electrolyte secretion that occurs in severe diarrhea,” which causes dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, the primary causes of death from diarrheal diseases, the St. Louis Beacon reports.

The group hopes “[i]f the anti-diarrheal pill works to get children through the acute phase of their illness, the door might be open to bring in other strategies like personal water purification systems and education in personal hygiene, in collaboration with SLU’s School of Public Health or other non-profit organizations,” the Beacon writes (Seltzer, 6/22).