Sir,
' Is the biotechnology revolution a myth? ' (12 November ).
Not if you speak to a patient suffering from Her-2 gene-related breast cancer who has been treated successfully with Herceptin. These cancers are at the more aggressive end of the spectrum and can easily kill.
Not if you speak to someone with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who has been treated successfully with Rituxan, also a potentially life-saving treatment. Not if you speak to a multiple sclerosis patient who has been successfully treated with Avonex; an arthritis patient whose life has been improved with Remicade or Enbrel; a dialysis patent whose life has been improved by Erythropoietin; or a diabetic whose life expectancy is better because of 'human' insulin.
These are but a small number of the drugs available because of the biotech revolution and many more are in the pipeline.
This is remarkable since most biotech drugs are the fruit of once-small companies operating in an industry that typically consumes £500m and requires eight or more years to deliver a new product. It also happens to be one of the most heavily regulated industries, where technical risks are carried until the end of the product development; a situation not ideal for a small company.
Of course we have much more to learn about the processes of life than we understand today. However, today's knowledge is delivering effective life-saving and life-improving therapies.
Gregory Berman,
Medical Products Group Leader,
PA Consulting Group,
London SW1W 9SR
