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)