Hoffman LaRoche

1
Hoffman La-Roche

• Nathan Fisher
• Tiffany Funchion
• Jacqueline Davies
• Mary Doleshal

2
Iceland

• Population of 290,570 as of 2003
• Few Immigrants/Emigrants
• Unpolluted Gene Pool
• Unparalleled resource for research information

3
Target Conditions

• Alzheimers
• Osteoporosis
• Schizophrenia
• Hypertension
• Manic Depression

• Osteoarthritis
• Endometriosis
• Essential Tremor
• Stroke
• Multiple Sclerosis

4
Roche Theoretical to Practical

• Roche Pharmaceuticals produces drugs.
• Tamiflu
• Roches involvement can turn deCODEs research
  into real results.

5
Roche Theoretical to Practical

• Roche employs more than 5,000 in RD alone.
• Roche spends more than 1,000,000,000 dollars on
  research each year.
• 1,000,000,000
• 290,570
• 3441.5
• Every year!
• Roche provides resources that cannot be obtained
  elsewhere.
• Icelands GNP is 9.3 Billion

6
Roches Function

• Roche provides experience, funding, and contacts
  needed to create usable drugs from the
  information received from deCODEs database.
• The drugs will be used in treatment and
  prevention for people that are genetically
  predisposed to certain diseases.

7
Roches Motivations

• Utilitarian
• Roche will profit from the sale of their drugs
• Icelanders will receive Roches drugs for free
• Everyone else has access to the latest medication

8
Opposing Viewpoints

• Research for financial gain damages the spirit of
  science.
• The "spirit of science" can't provide a
  billion-dollar research budget
• Results cost money to obtain
• Roche can promise more immediate results

9
Opposing Viewpoints

• This research carries the danger of an invasion
  of privacy.
• Extensive security methods are used to protect
  the database.
• Removing peoples names
• Encrypting the data 3 separate times
• Limiting access
• It is impossible to narrow information down to
  groups smaller than 10 people.

10

• The danger of a privacy breach is inconsequential
  compared to the life-threatening danger presented
  by Roches target diseases.
• Jonathan Knowles, Head of Global Pharmaceutical
  Research at Hoffmann-La Roche, If you make
  medicine more personal, you will have less pain
  and suffering.

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Opposing Viewpoints

• This privacy breach may cause discrimination
  among employers and insurers.
• The solution to this problem is not to avoid
  research completely.
• Laws forbidding discrimination form a more
  rational solution
• New research will make a huge difference in
  alleviating suffering, which is a benefit that
  cannot be ignored.

12
Opposing Viewpoints

• This research treats the population of Iceland
  like guinea pigs.
• A recent poll showed that 90 of those polled
  agreed that genetics should be used for better
  diagnosis and new cures to fight diseases.
• There is no way to gain useful information that
  genetics promises without using people to
  research it.
• According to Knowles, Genetics gives you the
  answer if you do the experiment right. If you
  are able to do the experiment, you will be able
  to understand the underlying causes of disease.

13
Opposing Viewpoints

• Those not willing to have their DNA studied can
  opt out.
• Isnt presuming assent without specific action
  unethical?
• Asking people to opt out of the program is no
  different than people signing up for the
  do-not-call registry in America.

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Sources

• Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  http//www.iceland.is/
• Reykjavik Resources www.reykjavikresources.com/dis
  player2.asp?cat_id397
• Decode Genetics http//www.decodegenetics.com/
• Hoffman La-Roche http//www.roche.com/inv-update-2
  002-01-29-e.pdfpage1
• DestinationRX http//www.destinationrx.com/prescri
  ptions/refine.asp?BrandNameTamiflu
• CIA WorldFactbook http//www.cia.gov/cia/publicati
  ons/factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html
• Wood, M. Gene Databases, Organ Transplants Raise
  Ethical Questions Virginia Law, April 28, 2004