Congress Moves to Protect Yew Trees, Harvest Cancer Drug

The Senate sent President Bush legislation Thursday night to protect Pacific yew trees, the only source of a promising new cancer drug, from logging in the Northwest.

The bill, passed by the House two weeks ago, would require harvesting of the shrublike trees found in the underbrush of old-growth forests before an area can be opened to commercial timber cutting.

The Senate approved it on a voice vote Thursday night without dissent.

The legislation also would make the government inventory the trees and develop a policy to provide for both their long-term conservation and a sustainable harvest of a drug found only in the tree’s bark.

The drug, taxol, has shown great promise in treating ovarian cancer, a disease blamed for killing 10,000 women annually. The National Cancer Institute says it also may be helpful in treating lung and breast cancer.