More research on biotechnology needed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian researchers should devote more time
\nand energy to developing pharmaceuticals through the use of
\nbiotechnology, two cabinet officials concluded yesterday.<\/p>\n
Minister of Health Sujudi and State Minister of Environment
\nSarwono Kusumaatmadja said that biotechnology has opened up the
\npossibility of safely tapping Indonesia's biodiversity.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a seminar about the upcoming international
\nconference on biodiversity, both Sujudi and Sarwono argued that
\nIndonesia must reduce its heavy reliance on imported
\npharmaceuticals. Indonesia imports 95 percent of its drugs.<\/p>\n
Sujudi said that the production of traditional herbal
\nmedicines should also be restricted because they rely on wild
\nplants that must be protected.<\/p>\n
Biotechnology, he said, will help to produce better plants,
\nprevent extinction and ensure uniform quality.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said \"currently pharmaceuticals are still in the early
\nstage of technological transfer.\"<\/p>\n
He said that the state of Indonesia's pharmaceutical industry
\nillustrates the contrast between the country's abundant natural
\nresources and its ignorance of how to tap their potential. \"We
\nuse such a small part of our natural wealth,\" Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
Minister Sarwono has been promoting the international talks on
\nbiodiversity for the past month. They will be held here from Nov.
\n4 to 17.<\/p>\n
The Global Biodiversity Forum and the Second Conference of
\nParties to the Biodiversity Convention, follow the results of the
\n1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Indonesian Science Institute, Soefjan Tsauri,
\nsaid ecologists have long regretted the lack of interest among
\nindustrialists to help with conservation.<\/p>\n
Soefjan said a lesson could be learned from the cooperation
\nbetween researchers, the private business sector and the
\ngovernment in Costa Rica.<\/p>\n
A Costa Rican conservation body, INBio, has signed a contract
\nwith large pharmaceutical company Merck and Co. Ltd. The contract
\nentitles INBio to a two-year research fund and royalties on
\nprofits from the development of medicines sold by Merck.<\/p>\n
\"Sustainable use of biodiversity can be conducted through
\nharmonious cooperation between the private sector, researchers
\nand the government,\" Soefjan said.<\/p>\n
Soefjan said the World Health Organization lists more than
\n20,000 plant species with healing potential.<\/p>\n
About 11 percent of these species, or 2,200 of them, are found
\nin Indonesia's tropical forests, Soefjan said.<\/p>\n
He added that 14 tropical plants used as a base for medicines
\nwidely sold in the United States are found in Indonesia's
\nforests.<\/p>\n
They include Vinblastin and Vinchristine that are used against
\ncancer. Both drugs are developed from Catharanthus roseus,
\nlocally known as tapak dara, he said. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-research-on-biotechnology-needed-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}