John Sulston Slams Medical Industry for 'moral Corruption'

Nobel Prize-winning British scientist Sir John Sulston has accused the medical industry of moral corruption.

Nobel Prize-winning British scientist Sir John Sulston has accused the medical industry of giving rise to the "moral corruption".

He feels that experts these days are vying to make more and more profits rather than taking care of the needs of patients, particularly in the developing world.

Scientists Zero in on Obesity Gene
British and French scientists have identified several variants of a single gene that boost the risk of obesity, according to a study published Sunday in the British journal Nature.

Sulston, who is well known for his commitment to public medicine and his opposition to the privatisation of scientific information, says that researchers are concerned about private companies patenting genes and genetic tests.

He is also concerned about the misuse of information, and what he terms "disease mongering".

He is taking these concerns over the direction that science and medicine are going in, onto a broader stage.

Longevity Lies More in Lifestyle and Not Much in Genes
A bone health study of one of the oldest persons in the world, who recently died at the age of 114, has shown that the secret to long life may not lie in the genes.

Speaking at the launch of a new research institute in the UK, which he is to head as its chairman, Sulston revealed that the institution would research the ethical questions raised by science and innovation.

He said that he wanted experts to formulate ground rules and guidance on issues like the patenting of genes, and how people in developing countries could have fair access to medicines.

Scientists a Step Closer to Understanding Genetics of Schizophrenia
American scientists have moved a step closer to unravelling how abnormal microRNAs, molecules that regulate expression of numerous genes, may contribute to the behavioural and neuronal

Sulston hit out at the existing systems that placed the needs of shareholders ahead of the needs of patients.

"Some people would say it is not corrupt because it is not illegal, and that is true; but I consider that advertising a medicine that doesn't make clear any disadvantages of the medicine, or, in fact, the fact that most people don't need this particular medicine - I would cite, for example, anti-depressants which are hugely oversold, especially in America. This is the sort of thing I mean by corruption. It's not legal corruption; it's moral corruption," the BBC quoted him as saying.

Genetics, Environmental Factors Linked to Homosexual Behavior
A new study of twins suggests that genetics and random environmental factors play a significant role in the development of homosexual behaviour.

Sulston bemoaned that the world was at a crisis point in terms of getting medicines to sick people, particularly in the developing world.

He stressed the need for an international biomedical treaty to iron out issues over patents and intellectual property.

Sulston teamed up with bioethicist John Harris to set up the Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation, which is staging a one-day conference on Saturday called 'Who Owns Science?'.

Sulston shared the 2002 Nobel Prize for medicine for his work on the genetics controlling cell division.

Source-ANI
SPH