5 Charged With Theft of Bark From Yew Trees

Five men were arrested and charged with a felony for cutting bark off yew trees in a national forest in Oregon, the first such charge in the theft of the bark used to make an experimental cancer treatment, authorities said.

Taxol, a chemical that has shown promise as a treatment for ovarian and breast cancer, is extracted from the bark of the yew tree--the only natural source of the chemical. No synthetic sources of taxol have been developed.

If convicted, the men face sentences of up to 16 years in prison and fines totaling $600,000.