Common Sense for the Biochemist

It is great to see an ever growing presence for the plant pharma community on the web. Hopefully we can educate the public about the true risks involved with the production of plant-made pharmaceuticals along with the benefits. Their are many activists out there who are spending alot of money to spread thier version of the truth. In defense of the industry, the folks over at Plantpharma.org have started an online petition addressed to USDA Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and FDA Commissioner Les Crawford. In recent years, both the USDA and FDA have been working with industry stakeholders and the public to create a set of regulations that are fair to both parties. This petition is in support of continuing this open dialogue and reads in part:

Plant-made pharmaceuticals (PMPs) have the potential to address therapeutic discovery and production issues for real people with real illnesses. Government regulators, academics, health care professionals and independent scientific standards should be the determining factors for how best to take advantage of the important, life-saving opportunities plant-made-pharmaceuticals have to offer – not special-interest groups or activists.

I encourage you to read over this petition and give your support for continued regulation of this industry based on scientific fact and not lobbyist pressure.