Cuban medical research.

[mazolaman]

Heard this radio programme the other day,while working.

It had an interesting section regarding the long term research and development into medicines and biotechnical medicine in the past 30 years or so.

Thinking Allowed.

Also demonstrates how excellent this aspect of Cuban industry is,inspite of all the negatives we usually hear about.

Apologies if other nations cannot get this programme,or you may have to pay.This programme is,however,always a good listen,and IMO,what the BBC still does well.

[Montaigut]

Thank you for posting this link: it is chock full of surprising information.

For those of you familiar with biotech, the numbers stated in the interview are nothing short of astonishing:

- 60% of the Cuban biotech effort is production driven i.e. manufacturing "stuff". Conventional western biotech actual production is very close to 0 (zero)! I would surmise the investments are inversely proportional.

- 50% hit rate in Cuban biotech. This is unheard of.

- The list of successes is also impressive: hep B vaccine, meningitis B vaccine, etc.

Lesson from all of this?:

- if your biotech program is set out to tackle actual diseases you are likely to get results.

- if your biotech program is set out to make money, then results are a lot more iffy...

[El Presidente]

Cuba has been frozen out of dealing with the Pharmaceuticals mutlinationals for some 50 years and today produces medicines for much of south and central America and parts of Africa. It has been one of their great success stories and the best "Up Yours" they could have done.

I can attest the pharmaceuticles are great having used them many times.

[Montaigut]

I can attest the pharmaceuticles are great having used them many times.

Now is a pharmaceuticle something you use on your particles?

[mazolaman]

There was an interesting point made regarding their trading with other South American nations on a more direct trade basis.

We sometimes miss the positive aspects of Cuba,how they use their resources for their own betterment in spite of restrictions.

There is no doubt they have the abilities to do many great things.

[El Presidente]

There was an interesting point made regarding their trading with other South American nations on a more direct trade basis.

We sometimes miss the positive aspects of Cuba,how they use their resources for their own betterment in spite of restrictions.

There is no doubt they have the abilities to do many great things.

The development (and maintenance) of their biotech and Pharma industries is one of the few positives for this govt. They have pretty much destroyed the rest of the coutries industry and infrastructure.

There are no restrictions for Cuba to feed themselves and yet last year they imported some 81% of daily food requirements. That has nothing to do with the embargo. That is sheer incompetence and a system that does not work in one of the most fertile countries imagineable.

The people are fantastic. The Govt a joke. With good leadership and a fresh start Cuba could be something special.

Just my 2c

[mazolaman]

It's a fair point.

I recall going there and having a drive around.

Seeing rusting machinery that should be being used on sugar plantations,fields empty of crop and worker.

Seems the govt became too hooked on the Soviet handouts,and forgot how to be self supporting.Shame.

The more I think of these almost political discussions,I always manage to find a parrallel with my own country.ie.I live in a land with some of the best pasture you could wish for,yet we now import milk as supermarkets don't pay enough to give the farmer a wage.(dairy farmers are literally shooting themselves at a rate of two a week).

Madness.

I come to the conclusion that both"comunism" and "capitalism" don't work.

I'm off to live in a hut in the woods.....

There's my tuppence worth.

[Montaigut]

I'm off to live in a hut in the woods.....

Do you mind company?...