Simpler tests for medicines urged

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32862, 10 March 1972, Page 9

Simpler tests for medicines urged

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) HOUSTON (Texas), Mar. 8.

Cancer experts were urged today to devise quicker means of testing the new and potentially cancer-causing chemicals flooding out of the world’s

A former cancer researcher, Dr Frank Rauscher, of the National Cancer Institute, told the opening session of a major cancer symposium that about 200,000 new chemicals were being synthesised every year in the Western world alone. Between 10,000 and 20,000 uf them were produced in quantities of one ton or more.

To test one chemical, it t.ok 200 mice and preferably 200 hamsters as well, held f two years at a cost of SUSSO,OOO a test, he said. The United States was supporting testing at a rate of 300 to 400 chemicals a year. “So clearly, we are not even keeping up

with our grandfathers,” Dr Rauscher said. . “We must develop quicker, more sensitive, less expensive and more predictive tests.” About 1400 cancer experts are attending the three-day annual symposium on fundamental cancer research sponsored by the University of Texas. This year’s symposium will concentrate on the links between viruses and cancer. Dr Rauscher said that most types of cancer, with the exception of stomach cancer, were increasing at an alarming rate in the United States. It was predicted that lung cancer co’’’d show a 52 per cent increase in rate by the end of the century. But if current goals were achieved, backed by massixa Federal support, the rates equid be cut by one-third by 1f76 and by two-thirds by thv year 2000. This latter goal would mean a saving of 314,000 lives, which represented SUSIO,2OO million in manpower.