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Measures needed to promote ‘orphan drugs’: ex-minister

The government and charities should help with research and development of “orphan drugs” for rare diseases, an Academia Sinica researcher said on Saturday.

Orphan drugs are drugs used to treat diseases that are too rare for the developer of the drug to turn a sufficient profit on research, development and production of the medicine.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Epidemiologist Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), who headed the Department of Health between 2003 and 2005, called for measures to promote development of orphan drugs in a speech at a ceremony marking Academia Sinica’s 80th anniversary.

Chen said only a few pharmaceutical companies were willing to work on medicines for orphan diseases because of the high cost and risk of low profitability.

To encourage private-sector investment, Chen said, government agencies and charitable organizations should play a supporting role in promoting research and development of such drugs.

In a speech on the environment, genetics and diseases, Chen said that genes were decisive factors in human disease. However, healthy habits and an environment free of harmful substances can help reduce the incidence of disease, he said.

Equally important in disease prevention and control is scientific research on the causes of disease, diagnostic methods and treatments, Chen said.

Turning to Taiwan’s medical research, Chen said that as modern medical research emphasizes human rights and research ethics, researchers must take greater care to communicate with patients who participate in drug tests and protect their health and privacy, regardless of whether they participate in a control group or variable group.

Chen said that drug research in Taiwan had benefited from participation by patients and other volunteers and progressed smoothly under the management of highly competent research teams.

MELAMINE TESTING

Speaking on the melamine scandal and subsequent debate over safety standards, Chen said the nation should set its own testing standards rather than follow those adopted by the WHO or the EU because Western countries such as the US and EU member states are less likely import potentially tainted products from China.

Since Taiwanese consume more Chinese-made dairy products than Americans and Europeans, the situations are not comparable, he said.

“The government is obligated to protect public health and impose strict regulations for food-safety control,” he said.
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