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What is Biopharming
Biopharming is a different method of producing pharmaceuticals through the production of proteins from genetically modified plants. Medicine that is made through plants are considered plant based pharmaceuticals. Common plants that are used in biopharming are tobacco, corn, alfalfa, carrots, rice.
This bar graph shows the increase of vaccines that have been approved by the FDA to be used. This is important because it exhibits how effective biopharming is to the world.
Why Is Biopharming a Better Option?
Biopharming allows for mass production of certain drugs. The cost of producing those drugs are cheaper than producing those in the factory. On top of that, biopharming has the potential to cure diseases that at this time cannot be produced through the usual method. A handful amount of vaccines have already been produced through biopharming. For example, the cure to the Ebola Virus was produced through tobacco.
How Are Drugs Produced Through Biopharming
Some methods of biopharming include transgenic plants, seed specific expression, transient cell system.Transgenic plants have been genetically engineered where they have new characteristics with the use of DNA recombinant. Seed specific expression is when the protein is stored in the plant seed which is easier to purify because it is stored in the seed which also allows for longer storage of the protein. Lastly transient cell system is when the plant is injected with the virus or a bacteria at a certain time and when its ready, Agrobacterium Tumefaciens transport the genes to another plants where production of protein begins.
This diagram shows part of the process when producing plant based pharmaceuticals.
Who Can Benefit from Biopharming
Biopharming can benefit everyone from all over the world. Specifically, the people living in poverty can now obtain drugs or vaccines that they were not able to get before. It can benefit the economy because more pharmaceuticals are being sold at a lower cost of production.
This graph that compares the prices of insulin shows that not all people in different countries can afford treatments. Prices of certain medicines and treatments vary depending on how developed that country may be.
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