May 16, 2000 / from a summary statement
A collaboration is announced today (Tuesday) that will
help fight blindness in developing countries through the use of genetically
modified rice. The collaboration will help the inventors of 'Golden Rice' to
deliver their gift of nutritionally-enhanced rice to the developing nations
of the world, bringing closer the health benefits for countries where
Vitamin A deficiency is the cause of 500,000 cases of irreversible blindness
each year.
The inventors of 'Golden Rice' have reached an agreement with Greenovation
and Zeneca, and are working with agencies throughout the world to enable the
delivery of this technology free-of-charge for humanitarian purposes in the
developing world. This will bring closer the 1982 vision of the Rockefeller
Foundation who stimulated and funded this research into rice varieties which
might offer global public health benefits.
Dr. Gary Toenniessen, Director for Food Security at the Rockefeller Foundation, endorsed the agreement, saying, "this collaboration will speed the process of conducting all appropriate nutritional and safety testing and obtaining regulatory approvals. The agreement should help assure that 'Golden Rice' reaches those people it can help most as quickly as possible. We look forward to following the progress of this agreement as a possible
model for other public-private partnerships designed to benefit poor people
in developing countries".
The inventors of 'Golden Rice', Professor Ingo Protrykus and Dr Peter Beyer,
will fulfil their commitment to give this technology to resource-poor
farmers in developing countries, and contribute to poverty alleviation by
increasing nutritional benefit from crops and income generation. They will
be supported by Zeneca, which has contributed since 1996 to the EU
carotenoid research project of which 'Golden Rice' was a part. Other
specialist organisations, in Asia and elsewhere, are being requested to
assist in the development and free delivery of 'Golden Rice'.
Zeneca will explore commercial opportunities for sales of 'Golden Rice' into
the growing market for healthy foods. At the same time, Zeneca will provide
regulatory, advisory and research expertise to assist in making 'Golden Rice' available in developing countries. 'Golden Rice' has the potential to
provide massive benefit countering Vitamin A deficiency-related diseases
including irreversible blindness.
Dr David Evans, Director of Research and Development at Zeneca, said, "Over
the coming years crop biotechnology will offer consumers a range of
significant benefits, and will play an important role in meeting the
nutritional needs of a growing population. The 'Golden Rice' programme has
the potential to make a major contribution to the health of many millions in
the developing world."
Professor Ingo Potrykus said, "Zeneca has been involved with carotenoid
research for a number of years and have demonstrated an awareness and
sensitivity to the needs of impoverished people in the developing world.
Zeneca will help us to deliver 'Golden Rice' more speedily to those that
need it most."
The collaborators anticipate that 'Golden Rice' will not be available for
local planting and consumption until 2003 at the earliest.
http://www.greenovation.com
http://www.ZenecaAg.com
(posted without permission)
