Tuesday 14.02.2006, CET 10:50
Swiss drawn to Cuba by biotech success
swissinfo February 13, 2006 11:27 AM
The Centre for Genetic Engineering
and Biotechnology is a scientific
leader in Cuba (CIGB)
The success of biotechnology research in Cuba is the main pull-factor for a Swiss delegation arriving in the country for a one-week official visit on Monday.
Leading the delegation is the State Secretary for Education and Research, Charles Kleiber, the highest-ranking Swiss government representative to travel to Cuba on official business.
(snip)
Against the odds
Observers say the collapse of the former Soviet Union and the United States trade embargo forced Cuba to develop homegrown solutions to local health problems.
Despite being relatively poor, Cuba's biotech sector is among the most successful in the developing world. Cuba exports biotechnology products to more than 50 countries, mainly in Latin America, eastern Europe and Asia.
Vaccines have been a particular focus of Cuban biotechnology. Local research and development programmes led to the first and only vaccine for a strain of meningitis.
(snip/...)
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=107&sid=6461694&cKey=1139826431000