New Technique Makes Most Gene Patents Irrelevant

Billy the Mountain writes "This Scientific American article, Legal Circumvention, describes a technique for circumventing gene patents whereby living cells are coaxed into expressing genes, especially those genes currently held under patents. Although, would-be exploiters of genes are prevented by patent restrictions from constructing a particular sequence and replicating it, patent law cannot be enforced in instances where an existing cell or organism is caused to express any of these patented genes and proteins."

Comments

DMCA to the rescue

[Lictor]

Don't worry, I'm sure 'big pharm' will have E. coli and friends all classified as circumvention devices. Better start scraping that bacteria out of your stomach, lest Pfizer come knocking on the door...

Re:Machining Parts

[IIRCAFAIKIANAL]

That reminds me of this number:

485650789657397829309841894694286137707442087351 35 79240196520736686985134010472374469687974399261175 10973777701027447528049058831384037549709987909653 95522701171215702597466699324022683459661960603485 17424977358468518855674570257125474999648219418465 57100841190862597169479707991520048667099759235960 61320725973797993618860631691447358830024533697278 18139147979555133999493948828998469178361001825978 90103160196183503434489568705384520853804584241565 48248893338047475871128339598968522325446084089711 19771276941207958624405471613210050064598201769617 71809478113622002723448272249323259547234688002927 77649790614812984042834572014634896854716908235473 78356619721862249694316227166639390554302415647329 24855248991225739466548627140482117138124388217717 60298412552446474450558346281448833563190272531959 04392838737640739168912579240550156208897871633759 99107887084908159097548019285768451988596305323823 49055809203299960323447114077601984716353116171307 85760848622363702835701049612595681846785965333100 77017991614674472549272833486916000647585917462781 21269007351830924153010630289329566584366200080047 67789679843820907976198594936463093805863367214696 95975027968771205724996666980561453382074120315933 77030994915274691835659376210222006812679827344576 09380203044791227749809179559383871210005887666892 58448700470772552497060444652127130404321182610103 59118647666296385849508744849737347686142088052944 3

An illegal prime number :)

The relevant issue here is...

[guttentag]

can one patent a technique for making other patents irrelevant?

But, um...

[hackwrench]

we have the DMCA now... clearly the technique is a Digital copy protection circumvention method.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[rice_burners_suck]

Patents are stupid!!! Copyright sucks!!! Trademarks are crap!!! Ban intellectual property!!! Screw the establishment!!!

<fine print>

Patent pending. Copyright (c) 2002, rice_burners_suck. All rights reserved. "Patents are stupid!!! Copyright sucks!!! Trademarks are crap!!! Ban intellectual property!!! Screw the establishment!!!" is a registered trademark of rice_burners_suck. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This flamebait is protected by U.S. copyright law and international treaty. Do not make illegal copies of this flamebait. All violations are punishable by death per subparagraph 3,939,112 of DMCA XP 2004.

</fine print>

Re:Internet routes around damage.

[rodgerd]

Genes want to be free!

(That explains the stirrings in my pants...)

Some people must be mad...

[Anonymous Coward]

The people at Levi Strauss must be really pissed that somebody found a way around their gene patents...
oh wait....

No loophole there

[rnturn]

``...patent law cannot be enforced in instances where an existing cell or organism is caused to express any of these patented genes and proteins.''

Are they kidding? If it's alive a really good lawyer will find a way to sue it. Heh, heh.