The Cuban government has made a substantial investment in biotechnology in a drive to battle cancer, the country’s second leading cause of death, after cardiovascular disease.

cancer



“Cancer is one of the major killers in Cuba. This is partly because people live longer but also because many have adopted unhealthy lifestyles. Too many people use alcohol harmfully, eat unhealthily and use tobacco. Among men, prostate and lung cancers are the most common types of cancer, and among women breast and cervical cancer are at the top of the list.”











The anti-cancer medication Nimotuzumab













“More than 90 new products are currently being investigated in more than 60 clinical trials. These numbers are expected to grow. The tremendous benefit from this focus on health biotechnology is that it is producing more affordable drugs to tackle diseases that run rampant in low- and middle-income countries.”