Expert downplays promise of biotechnological drugs
Expert downplays promise of biotechnological drugs
JAKARTA (JP): A United Nations organization special advisor
cautioned yesterday about the dangers of medicines derived from
natural resources using biotechnology.
Special advisor to the United Nations' Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization's director general, Albert Sasson of
France, told a press conference at the Indonesian Biotechnology
Conference that biotechnologically produced natural resources had
to pass a series of tests to prove their effectiveness.
This would stop politicians being misled into believing
another gold mine existed, Sasson said, referring to the Bre-X
Minerals scandal.
"The (test) process ranges from screening to isolating and
identifying the molecule, (soliciting) very strong support from a
sophisticated school of medicine as well as cellular and
molecular biology department," he said.
He said tests and clinical trials could take up to 10 years
and cost as much as US$250 million.
He cited the American pharmaceutical giant Merck as an
example. The company would only develop drugs with potential
annual sales worth more than $100 million.
"These tests and trials are meant to ensure safety standards
and guidelines for worldwide use," he said.
Sasson said that medical biotechnology did not necessarily
mean high technology. Medical biotechnology had to be adjusted to
the market's needs, such as the need for developing countries to
develop vaccines which cost between $5 million and $20 million to
test.
He identified Hepatitis A and B vaccines as being marketable
because they could treat 300 million carriers worldwide, with
eradication possible by the year 2010. Small pox has been
eradicated and this would possibly be followed by polio, he said.
He cited Cuba, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore as countries
which produced their own vaccines to decrease the cost of
importing vaccines.
Sasson said applications in agricultural biotechnology, such
as for rice, had to be adjusted to each country's needs, climate
and environmental factors.
Patrick Cleary at the University of Minnesota's microbiology
department said that scientific libraries in university medical
faculties had to improve if Indonesia was to have better
biotechnology practitioners.
"Unlike their Chinese and Indian counterparts who remain in
the United States, Indonesian biotechnology practitioners return
to contribute their expertise. But they need tremendous support
in scientific literature to maintain the level of experience that
they have been exposed to," said Cleary from the American
university.
Cleary said many of Indonesia's scientific libraries carried
second-hand information. He appealed for more efficient catalog
and index systems to give the scientific community better access
to publications.
"If a scientist reads scientific information that is five
years old, then he is out of step with the latest developments,"
he said.
He hailed the quality and commitment of biotechnology staff
here which had improved in the last 10 years.
He recommended promoting the science programs for high school
and college students held by the U.S. National Academy of
Sciences to stimulate interest in science as a fun endeavor. (01)