Open Source Biotechnology: A Drug for Developing Countries' Health Problems?

Abstract

In developing countries, many people suffer from diseases for which there are no drugs or for which drugs exist that they cannot afford because they are too expensive. The advent of genomics has sparked the idea that new drugs can be more easily developed and that genomics thus could lessen the health problems prevalent in developing countries. Until now, genomics has not been able to realise that promise. This paper explores whether, and if so, how open source biotechnology (hereinafter: OSB) can stimulate medical drug development specifically targeted at the health problems of developing countries.