Iran Among Asia’s Top 5 Biotechnology Powers

By

 IFP Editorial Staff

Iran has been ranked among the top five Asian countries developing biotechnology products.

A report by Fars News Agency has studied the Islamic Republic of Iran’s standing in the region and the world in terms of progress in the biotechnology, an area of biology that involves living systems and organisms to develop products.

According to the report, Iran has been ranked among Asia’s top five producers of biotechnology products, and has taken the eighth place in the world ranking of biopharmaceutical manufacturers.

Iran has also made a long-term investment in bio-economy, the economic activities involving the use of biotechnology in producing commodities, the report added, saying Iran is expected to sell $31 billion in biotechnology products by 2025.

It has also highlighted Iran’s progress in the scientific and academic research on biotechnology subjects, saying the articles from Iranian researchers have been published in world-class journals.

In the contemporary era, biotechnology has many practical applications in pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, food production, medicine, animal husbandry, bioengineering, biocatalysis, biomass, and bioenergy.

Known as a clean and environment friendly approach, biotechnology continues to play a more important role in the economic growth of the nations.

Biopharmaceutical Industry Booming in Iran

By IFP Editorial Staff

Iranian knowledge-based companies have accelerated the country’s growth in the biopharmaceutical industry, a government official said, as he unveiled plans for the domestic production of dozens of new biomedicines.

In an interview with Mehr News Agency, Secretary of Biotechnology Development Headquarters at the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology Mostafa Qanei said extensive plans have been devised to produce the needed biopharmaceuticals inside the country.

“Since two years ago, when the sanctions were imposed, we have accelerated the production of biopharmaceuticals and have been considering the other types of medicine as well,” he noted.

For a brief review of Iran’s achievements in various fields of science and technology, check the book “Science and Technology in Iran: A Brief Review – 2019”

There are a total of around 140 biopharmaceuticals, while Iran has managed to produced 22 of them over the past two years, Qanei added, saying the domestic production of such medicines would reduce the need for imports.

He further explained that not all of the biopharmaceuticals are economically feasible to produce, saying Iran has plans to synthesize 33 other important types of biomedicine.

“The knowledge-based companies are going to produce 30 more medicines (biopharmaceuticals) by the next 18 months, and we’ll see those drugs in the market,” the official concluded.

Herbal Medicine vs. Chemical Drug; Which One’s Better?

By

 IFP Editorial Staff

The use of herbal products and its tremendous effects on human health has been proven. Today, these products which are produced based on modern pharmaceutical knowledge and traditional medicine have a very big effect.

On the other hand, many people favour the use of such products because of the rapid efficacy of drugs and chemical supplements. Now the question is which treatment is better? Treatment with chemicals or herbals?

Statistics show that today 80% of people in the world use drugs or herbal products directly or indirectly to improve their health. In 2015 alone, people spent $93 billion on herbal remedies, which shows a three-fold increase from 2010.

For a brief review of Iran’s achievements in various fields of science and technology, check the book “Science and Technology in Iran: A Brief Review – 2019”

Here are some features of the chemical and herbal products and the advantages and disadvantages of these two groups:

* Chemical Medicines & Side Effects

Chemical drugs have side effects and health hazards that can be even more dangerous than the disease itself. In the United States, it is reported that every year about 1.5 million people are hospitalised due to the side effects of chemical medications. However, because of their natural base, herbal remedies do not have many of the side effects of chemical products. For example, herbal antidepressant products, unlike chemical antidepressant products, do not have harmful effects such as daytime sleepiness.

* Getting Resistant to Chemical Medicines

One of the disadvantages of long-term or incorrect use of chemical drugs is that the body becomes resistant to some of these drugs. As a result, physicians prescribe new and more powerful medications to treat and relieve the disease, which in turn reduces the effectiveness of the medicines and damages the body.

* Effect of Herbal Remedies

Treatment of simple and chronic diseases: These products have good effects in treating diseases such as colds, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders and the like and can cure diseases of this kind very quickly. Also, chronic diseases such as infectious skin diseases, osteoarthritis, etc. can be treated with herbal remedies. One of the most important benefits of herbal medicines and supplements over chemicals is prevention of diseases and health disorders. However, it’s important to know that the herbal remedies usually need a long time to work. The herbal medicine called Melitropic which is used to prevent Alzheimer’s disease is a good example of this.