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May 1, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Don't Shun Genetic Research, W.H.O. Advises Poor Lands"

New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (05/01/02) P. A15; Hilts, Philip J.

In a new report titled "Genomics and World Health," the World Health Organization (WHO) urges Third World countries to devote some of their resources to keeping up with genetic research, due to its promise in combating tropical diseases.  According to the report, major advances in health are expected to arise from the study of genomes, and these advances will not necessarily involve large expenditures of money or sophisticated technology.  Some of these developments could involve relatively inexpensive treatments or vaccines for major diseases.  The reason why the WHO is urging poorer countries to invest money in this area is because of the 1,233 new drugs introduced on the market in the last quarter of the 20th century, only 13 were specifically made to fight tropical diseases, and the WHO was responsible for creating six of those drugs.  In recent years, genetic engineering has led to the development of possible new vaccines against the organisms that cause tuberculosis and meningitis.

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