We recently blogged about the exciting Australian research by the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and the University of Western Australia, that showed that bee venom is effective for the treatment of the most aggressive kind of breast cancer, especially triple-negative breast cancer.
Now beekeepers from Herzegovina and southern Bosnia will begin production of apitoxin, or bee venom as early as 2021.
This 1:26-minute video by 9 News Australia talks briefly about the Australian findings:
Funding and financial support will come from development programs in the United States and Sweden. The Kadulja Association of beekeepers from Herzegovina will make four training courses available to its members for the production of bee venom, according to local media.
The head of the association, Dobro Zovko, was quoted to have said that regulations are first being prepared in Herzegovina and Bosnia, and then the beekeepers from this association will start to produce large quantities as of 2021.
He said large amounts of apitoxin will need to be produced in order to be competitive on the market and to become a reliable supplier to the pharmaceutical industry. He said it is a lucrative but complex business, since one kilogram of bee venom can sell for as high as €20,000 which is currently a little over US$23,000.
There are 750-800 member beekeepers in the Kadulja Association, and they produce an approximate combined 300 tons of honey in a year.
This may be good news for many women suffering from this ravaging disease.
We wish you a happy weekend and thank you for reading our blog. BEE safe and enjoy the autumn colors.