Private companies own human gene patents

http://www.guardian.co.uk/genes/article/0,2763,1591992,00.html

Nearly a fifth of all human genes have been patented - the majority by private biotechnology companies, according to a survey of patent records published today.

The extent to which companies claim ownership of human genes has raised alarm among researchers and led to warnings that by asserting commercial rights over crucial genes, companies risk stifling research into diseases such as breast cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Legal cases triggered by disputes over who owns specific genes and how access to working on them is restricted are also likely in future, the scientists warn.

Kyle Jensen and Fiona Murray at Massachusetts Institute of Technology calculated the proportion of human genes that had been patented by comparing the genetic sequences claimed in US patents to genes listed in the National Centre for Biotechnology Information gene database. They were surprised to find so many had already been patented. "The stories that we hear in the media only concern a very small number of human genes," said Dr Murray. "But it turns out that a high number have been patented, including some of the more obscure ones."

material?

how can you 'discover' (and patent) genetic material? :crazy:

I insist they must have product liability and recall all the junk that's out there.

and the Taliban here in the U.S....yes please...recall that junk

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www.tecsoc.org/biotech/focuspatents.htm

It was published by the Center for the Study of Science & Technology, founded by Adam Keiper in 1999. He's now editor of "The New Atlantis: A Journal of Technology & Society"--pulished by the Ethics & Public Policy Center.

The Ethics and Public Policy Center was established in 1976 to clarify and reinforce the bond between the Judeo-Christian moral tradition and the public debate over domestic and foreign policy issues.

www.eppc.org/

Fine, intelligent, reasonable people all. But they do have an agenda. (They're real fond of Bush.)

You would think if they own them, they should have the responsiblity to fix them.

zalinda

study, break down and understand the workings of specific genetics..they do not own the genes, but do own the genetic information that they acquired via their research..and are able to patterned this information. if this were not the case, research would come to a screaming halt.

:puke: