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British Columbia Bows To Breast Cancer Patent

Posted by Hemos on from the bow-down-before-the-one-you-serve dept.

dlek writes "Bowing to pressure from Utah's Myriad Genetics, the government of British Columbia has stopped offering a test for hereditary breast cancer. The price of the test, which looks at two genes responsible for the cancer, has tripled to $3500US. Our public health care system can't afford to pay so we're sending people to Ontario, which is ignoring the patent. People are disappointed we're not doing the same... previous Slashdot mentions are on their original claim and on the Curie Institute's challenge to the patent."

6 of 446 comments (clear)

  1. Previous Art, Anyone? by theBraindonor · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wouldn't the fact that women's cells have been duplicating those genes for thousands of years count as previous art?

    Aparently not...

    1. Re:Previous Art, Anyone? by antitribue · · Score: 4, Funny

      Wouldn't the fact that women's cells have been duplicating those genes for thousands of years count as previous art?

      I am not sure I can answer that without first looking at, and maybe touching the previous art!

  2. Re:Got a letter from my federal rep this weekend.. by Ooblek · · Score: 3, Funny
    Well, shame on the women that stole this patented gene and implanted it in themselves. They should have known the consequences of stealing intellectual property. They should feel lucky that the US government doesn't break down their front door and haul them out of their homes and throw them in prison for the theft.

    (That was sarcasm, in case you mods out there were even thinking about modding this as flamebait.)

  3. Icebergs? by twoslice · · Score: 2, Funny

    "What we're seeing now is the tip of the iceberg," she said.

    I never heard them called icebergs before... Is British Columbia really cold?

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  4. Re:You can bet... by dohnut · · Score: 2, Funny


    Of course it would be covered, who wants to see that?

    I got nothin'..

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  5. Re:You can bet... by the+way,+what're+you · · Score: 5, Funny
    If this were testicular cancer screening, it would be covered...

    So essentially you're saying there is a vas deferens between the way male and female patients are treated? That's just nuts.

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