It is the ’60 Minutes’, show that popularized the appetite suppressing properties of Hoodia Gordonii. Interest in this succulent, which grows in the Kalahari Desert increased after it was exposed on this show. The show did more than just focus on the power of Hoodia to suppress appetite without causing any side effects, it brought out some other issues related to the demand and growing of this the succulent as well.
One important point of concern that was brought across was that the San Bushmen did not receive any benefits from the profits coming from exports of the Hoodia Gordonii. No one had given any thought to the fact that this tribe had a claim in the money flowing in from the increasing demand for Hoodia Gordonni due to it natural power to suppress appetite. Since this issue was aired on the show, lawyers looking to protect the rights of the San have stepped in and made a deal, by which the tribesmen will get a share of the profits from Hoodia.
Another point brought out by Lesley Stahl, was the future of this weight-loss miracle growing in the desert. She had a talk with a representative from Phytopharm, (this is the company, which holds a patent on the P57 ingredient molecule derived from the Hoodia Gordonii). Phytopharm has plans to market its brand of Hoodia weight loss products in a couple of years. It was contracting with farms in South Africa to grow the Hoodia for this purpose.
When Lesley Stahl visited one of these Hoodia farms which were growing Hoodia for export and when she tasted the Hoodia growing there, she felt that it tasted more bitter than the Hoodia she had tasted in the wild. The Agronomist on the farm commented that there is much more to learn about growing Hoodia in farms. This is because Hoodia Gordonii is a succulent, which grows in the desert wild, through its own form of natural propagation. This is the first time Hoodia was being grown in farms and this meant there were going to be challenges but that he was confident they could keep up with demand.
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