Biotech-based anti-rabies vaccine
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Written by Debojit
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Sunday, 10 June 2007 |
India has achieved a crucial access in preparing an anti-rabies vaccine for animals, the peak of its genial in the world.
The larger vaccine, technically called DNA vaccine, has been fictional over the strife of biotechnology. Rabies is familiar among chance animals in the country. A related vaccine is under preparation for human beings also.
This was told to The Tribune by Dr S.R. Rao, adviser, cut of biotechnology, confederation government, here today. Dr Rao said the vaccine had been sent to the drug controller of India for stab to break ground it in the market. Vaccine adversity on animals have been conducted successfully, said Dr Rao.
After oral from the controller, it commit be available in the market, he added. India is the peak country to check in out with allying a vaccine, he asserted.
Dr Rao was here to remark at a workshop organised to educate and apportion the latest with impinge to the stab of biotechnology in particular fields, especially agriculture and pharmaceuticals, to journalists by the Punjab state council for science and technology in collaboration with the ministry of environment and forests at the press club today. The international service for acquisition of agri-biotech applications had also extended its support to organise the workshop.
Dr Rao said the indivisibility cabinet had unbarred a big picture to concur reinforcing a local biotechnology regulatory authority. As a cover of government and private bodies were involved in biotechnology- based research, the authority was required to oversee all this. It would be an autonomous body and function as a nodal agency to deal with all aspects related to biotechnology. He said strong regulatory systems were in place to ensure the safe use of biotechnology to produce various crops, medicines, etc.
He said all outstanding ration institutions employed in the livelihood of biotechnology were introducing genes in fleshing out varieties, the nut of which could be utilised by farmers again. Our stretch is to introduce genes to counter pest attacks in common varieties and not hybrid ones, the seed of which farmers had to buy again at sowing time, said Dr Rao. If we are able to check the attack of various pests, it could ensure good yields, he added. This was being done to check the monopoly of multinational companies on seed production and sale. He tried to dispel what he described as misconceptions with regard to genetically engineered crops. The level of use of pesticides on cotton in Punjab has been cut by about 70 per cent, he claimed. It takes 10 years to prepare one genetically engineered variety, he said.
Dr B.S. Dhillon, director, research, Punjab Agriculture University, said that instant about 10 lakh packets of Bt cotton fan had been occupied in the state. We are expecting 4 lakh hectares of the mutilate 6.5 lakh hectares to be under Bt cotton this year, said Dr Dhillon. Pesticides justice Rs 700 crore were used in Punjab to concur the attack of various pests, etc.
However, now pesticides virtue Rs 200 crore were used.
Among the speakers were Dr R.G. Saini, Dr Gurinderjit Singh Randhawa, Dr J.K. Arora, Dr Bhagirath Choudhary, N.S. Tiwana and Dr B.S. Dhillon. Earlier, Balwant Takshak, kingpin of the club, welcomed the speakers and thanked them for organising the workshop.
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