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1/5 of All Human Genes Have Been Patented
mopslik writes "A story on National Geographic News cites a study claiming that 20% of all human genes 'have been patented in the United States, primarily by private firms and universities.' While universities hold 28% of all gene-related patents, 63% belong to private firms, with a whopping 2000 patented genes (approximately 67%, or 50% total) belonging to a single firm." From the article: "You can find dozens of ways to heat a room besides the Franklin stove, but there's only one gene to make human growth hormone ... If one institution owns all the rights, it may work well to introduce a new product, but it may also block other uses, including research ..."
I thought it was a joke that you can patent genes, but I guess it's for real? Wow, that's a real shocker, but it brings up a question, how can you patent something that you didn't invent and what can you do with this patent? Does this mean that 28% of my er.. body belongs to someone else?
Basically a dumbfounded, "Wh...whaaaaat?"
What ever happened to the idea that you can't patent facts? Discovering WHAT they do doesn't mean you invented them.
If I discover a new element, can I patent it? Can you imagine if someone patented, say, Gold?
On the other hand, in 17 years they will all be free game again. More likely than not not too much will be able to be taken advantage of before then.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Does anyone know if these patents cover genes (a particular location on the DNA) or alleles (a specific variant that this found for some gene)? If the patent covers a specific DNA sequence, then it is an allele. If it covers an allele, then the number of possible patents is much larger than the number of genes.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
Here is an example of a "Gene Patent" Nucleotide sequences which code for the menE gene, United States Patent 6946271.
It really looks like most of the claims are about the sequence, not any particular utility for it! Of course, it does say what the proteins that the sequence codes for is and does.