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Should genes be patented?

If a woman in your family wanted to get tested to see if she carries an inherited risk for breast or ovarian cancer, there has been only one place to send her blood sample: Myriad Genetics’ labs.  That’s because Myriad has held exclusive rights to two genes linked to breast and ovarian cancer and has been able to stop other companies from developing tests for these genes.  How is this possible?   In the last two decades, science has made great progress in mapping the hereditary pieces of information of genes to assess your chances of getting certain diseases and to develop custom-made treatments.  It might surprise you to learn that the companies and academic centers responsible for these advances have been able to patent – or stake claim to – the genes they have isolated and the research connected with them.  These patents provide the companies and researchers with exclusive rights to interpret the information contained in the genes and to offer tests to the public based on those genes. Now a federal court has struck down Myriad’s patents, putting into question thousands of other gene patents.
 
 

Comments
05/26/2010
Erin
Springfield High School, Springfield, PA
I have never heard of this before and am shocked to learn about it. I think it is nice to find out if a woman in my family has inherited risk for breast or ovarion cancer; however, I think there are some risks to this because nothing is ever as easy as it seems. I do not know how I feel about the companies staking claim to the genes they have isolated and the research connected with them. I can see why the federal court has struck down on Myriad's patents; however, if women want to have their genes patented, they should have the right to.
 
 

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Sep 6, 2010

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