Foreign experts praise Cuban biotechnology

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 27 (ACN) Foreign researchers attending the International Congress BioHabana 2022 highlighted today Cuba's progress in the field of biotechnology.

Antonio Tito Fojo, an oncologist and professor of Medicine at Columbia University, United States, remarked the existing integration among Cuban scientists and described as an advantage their link with the experts who develop vaccines and cancer products.

He pointed out that the Cuban drugs against cancer are promising but said that Cuba needs to provide more information and carry out research abroad to learn how effective they are for different populations and compare them with other immunotherapy methods.

“Cuba can do a lot, and I am impressed by your scientists and their scientific rigor,” he said.

Eleanor Fish, professor of the immunology department of the University of Toronto, Canada, who has researched interferons for more than 30 years, acknowledged the results of the Cuban studies during the pandemic and pointed out that she would like to see evidence of drugs such as Nasalferon and HeberFERON published in important journals in order to use them.

“Should that happen,” she underscored, “Cuba would be in a good position to produce them, since other renowned biotechnological companies which used to make them to treat hepatitis C are no longer doing so, because there is another therapy for that disease. (…) It’s incredible that a country of 11 million inhabitants has turned to biotechnology, and successfully so.”

BioHabana 2022 has gathered more than 900 delegates and guests from 51 countries, including scientists, technologists and specialists in the health and business sectors.