BIO President Responds To Biodevastation Protesters

BOSTON, Mass. (March 24, 2000) Carl B. Feldbaum, president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), issued the following personal statement with respect to the Biodevastation protesters. BIO is the host organization for the BIO 2000 International Biotechnology Meeting and Exhibition, March 26-30, in Boston.

It’s hard for me to understand what some of these peopleare protesting about, Feldbaum said.

Here at BIO 2000 we have over 7,000 biotech researchers who work on treatments for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, heart disease and hundreds of other diseases that are thought to have a genetic cause.

Christopher Reeve will be here to talk about his hopes that biotechnology can regenerate spinal cord tissue and help him and other victims of accidents and disease walk again.

I am a cancer survivor myself who was saved by a new biotech diagnostic. And I am a second-generation cancer survivor. My father benefited from an experimental biotech treatment for malignant melanoma.

Researchers know that diseases like breast and prostate cancer, heart disease and many neurological diseases run in families, and it’s critical to find and treat the root, genetic causes.

At BIO 2000, we also have scientists here to talkabout golden rice a genetically modified crop that contains vitamin A and iron and can help millions of people in developing countries who suffer from night blindness and anemia.

Much of the work in biotechnology is being done by small, innovative biotech companies, many here in the Boston area.

I really wonder whether many of these people understand the real life benefits of biotechnology.

BIO represents more than 900 companies, academic institutions and state biotech centers in 47 states and 26 nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental products.