On 29 September 2014 Granma International reported that the Cuban- developed Heberprot-P, the only drug of its kind in the world capable of enhancing the healing process of ulcers in diabetics and reducing the risk of amputation, was officially registered in Turkey. Through Turkey it will now be available on the European market. This could have a huge impact on diabetics in Europe. Various multinational companies had previously resisted the registration of the drug in order to protect their profits and comply with the US blockade.
Heberprot-P has benefited some 31,000 Cuban patients and more than 150,000 from 20 other countries to date. Luis Herrera of the Cuban Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, states that the availability of the medicine in Turkey ‘should enable the prevention of 40,000 to 50,000 amputations…we are talking about a nation of 80 million inhabitants, an estimated five million of whom are diabetic. 100,000 people a year suffer from foot ulcers, no less than 60,000 of whom should be able to buy this medicine’. The World Health Organisation estimates 366 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes and 10-15% of them develop ulcers.
The blockade of Cuba prevents US citizens from accessing Heberprot-P, despite the fact that the drug was patented in the US a few years ago. It is clear that the country needs this drug, with 9.3% of the population suffering from diabetes. Cuba’s advances in pharmaceutical industries will continue to put pressure on the US blockade. The blockade has sought to strangle Cuba’s socialist economy since 1962. As Heberprot-P demonstrates, it is not only an offence against Cuba; it denies crucial technology and medicine to patients across the globe.
Smash the immoral and illegal US blockade!
Paul Mallon
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! 242 December 2014/January 2015
