The first successful bone marrow operation was completed a month and a half ago at the Instituto Oncológico Doctor Heriberto Pieter, the state cancer institute. Physicians Julio Castaños, María Jesús Benzo, Nancy Alam Lora and Carlos García participated in the operation. Danilo Lavalet, 26 years old, received a transplant of bone marrow thanks to the sponsorship of several pharmaceutical laboratories, including Novartis, Bristol Meyers, Asofarma, Shering, Glaxo, the Instituto de Hermoterapia and Servimed. The cost of the operation was RD$150,000, slightly under US$11,000. An operation of this kind in Cuba or the United States would cost between US$40,000-US$100,000.
