RE: Merck to pirate Traditional Chinese Medicine compounds to develop new drugs -- GMO

[Guest guest]

It seems that the idea of patenting natural plant chemicals may not be that

far from reality. Meaning large corporations have already patented specific

genes from plants. The have claimed ownership of plants that contains their

gene! As we speak they are trying to patent as many plant genes as possible

to claim ownership, when the time is ripe. Yes at the moment this does not

affect our herbal prescribing, but it definitely is a larger issue that may

creep into our domain if something is not done soon. Below is a post that I

sent another group a few days ago. Although most of heard of GMO and how

" bad " it is, the movie mentioned really explores some of the politics that

are emerging around the issues of patenting. Being such a major issue with

large ramifications I am unsure why Americans have rolled over and let this

one slide under the rug. I really hear very little anymore about it. With

the stories conveyed in the movie, I do not see it unreasonable that our

herbs will some day be owned by the corporations, and to use them will

potentially cost you. Yes this sounds absurd. Check out the movie, then get

back to me.

 

 

 

 

(POST)

 

 

 

Dear Group,

 

 

 

I just finished watching the documentary entitled, " The Future of Food " - It

is a good summary of what is currently going on with US farming and the

patenting of genes / seeds - and the worldwide contamination of these genes

(I.e. in Mexico). Basically there is a federal law (trying to become

international) that says that if your (the farmer's) plant contains this X

gene, then it is (NOW) owned by the corporation that owns the patent on that

gene. The genes are developed to do certain things and inserted into a cell

of a seed - This is GMO. For example, the round-up (pesticide) ready gene is

a common one that allows the plant to be sprayed with round-up preventing

its destruction. Currently there are patents for seeds / genes that will

grow one generation then die. This is obviously designed so that the

companies can resell you seed for the following year. Funny, because these

large corporations that are doing this, proclaiming " the gene revolution " ,

are doing it to feed the world. WOW! The problem is that these genes can get

acquired by other plants. For example they have found native corn plants in

Mexico contaminated with these corporate hybrid creations. Scientists are

obviously worried about the health ramifications, since inserting these

foreign genes often requires the use of viruses and bacteria, among other

things.

 

 

 

As you may already know the law to label foods as GMO was shot down. Now any

food you buy (even in a health food store) can contain GMO grown food. There

are huge movements is Europe to ban GMO, but hey, why not just first get it

labeled here is the US!

 

 

 

I recommend all to watch it. Two solutions are to buy locally (organic, Non

GMO) and get the word out! Other Ideas?

 

 

 

Any comments about this topic in general?

 

 

 

-Jason

 

 

 

 

 

_____

 

 

On Behalf Of Attilio D'Alberto

Monday, December 18, 2006 2:22 AM

; ChineseMedicineTimes

Merck to " pirate " Traditional compounds to

develop new drugs

 

 

 

Hi all,

 

Taken from:

http://www.chinesem

<http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/page.php?xPage=news.html#news13>

edicinetimes.com/page.php?xPage=news.html#news13

 

German pharmaceutical giant Merck announced last week that it would

collaborate with a Chinese pharmaceutical company to develop new cancer

drugs based on traditional Chinese herbs and botanical medicines.

 

Hong Kong-based Chi-Med -- a pharmaceutical firm that develops consumer

health products from natural ingredients used in Traditional Chinese

Medicine (TCM) -- said it will team with Merck to find potential cancer

drugs among roughly 10,000 herbal TCM compounds. However, critics say the

partnership will only serve to allow Merck to generate more profits from

" pirated " natural plant chemicals sold as expensive pharmaceuticals.

 

Consumer health advocate Mike Adams, author of " Take Back Your Health

Power, " said Merck's partnership with Chi-Med would result in the company

locating, copying and patenting chemicals found in Chinese herbs, then

selling them as prescription drugs.

 

" When Chinese firms steal intellectual property from the United States, we

call it piracy, but when drug companies acquire medical know-how from

Chinese medicine, it's called research, " Adams said. " But let's be clear

here -- I don't believe Merck is about to start promoting Chinese herbal

cures for anything.

 

" Merck is most likely looking for molecules it can identify, modify and

patent as pharmaceuticals, " he said. " If it finds anything that works, the

medicines will likely be sold as Western drugs, not Chinese medicine, and

the FDA will continue its assault on herbal medicine even as it approves

drugs based on herbal medicine. "

 

Ulrich Betz, head of strategic innovation and research portfolio management

at Merck, said the company is eager to begin a " productive collaboration "

with Chi-Med. " It will allow us to extend our interaction with the emerging

Chinese pharmaceutical industry that builds on longstanding tradition and

knowledge combined with modern scientific technology, " he said.

 

Merck's collaboration is one of many attempts by Western pharmaceutical

companies to increase their presence in China. Swiss drug firm Novartis

recently announced plans to open a $100 million Western research and

development facility in Shanghai.

 

However, Adams says rich Western pharmaceutical companies will take

advantage of the generosity and cost-effectiveness of TCM therapies.

 

" In my opinion, this [collaboration] is nothing more than greedy

corporations exploiting the generous, open-source nature of Chinese

medicine, " Adams said. " It is the Western world's piracy of Eastern wisdom,

and it is only being done because drug companies have realized that

Western-developed medicines are far more dangerous, and don't work nearly as

well as Chinese medicine. "

 

Kind regards,

 

Attilio D'Alberto

Doctor of (Beijing, China)

BSc (Hons) TCM, MATCM

Editor

Times

+44 (0) 1189 612512

enquiries@chineseme <enquiries%40chinesemedicinetimes.com>

dicinetimes.com

www.chinesemedicinetimes.com

 

 

[Guest guest]

I know that what is happening in India especially is horrific as well as other

places in the

world. Some how I don't see this happening in China to Chinese Herbs. There are

threats

to be sure and we should protest them. I would start with the struggles in India

around

this issue.

 

doug

 

 

 

, " " wrote:

>

> It seems that the idea of patenting natural plant chemicals may not be that

> far from reality. Meaning large corporations have already patented specific

> genes from plants. The have claimed ownership of plants that contains their

> gene! As we speak they are trying to patent as many plant genes as possible

> to claim ownership, when the time is ripe. Yes at the moment this does not

> affect our herbal prescribing, but it definitely is a larger issue that may

> creep into our domain if something is not done soon. Below is a post that I

> sent another group a few days ago. Although most of heard of GMO and how

> " bad " it is, the movie mentioned really explores some of the politics that

> are emerging around the issues of patenting. Being such a major issue with

> large ramifications I am unsure why Americans have rolled over and let this

> one slide under the rug. I really hear very little anymore about it. With

> the stories conveyed in the movie, I do not see it unreasonable that our

> herbs will some day be owned by the corporations, and to use them will

> potentially cost you. Yes this sounds absurd. Check out the movie, then get

> back to me.

>

>

>

>

> (POST)