Gene patents are illegal!
Americans have begun to fight the monopoly on gene researchA lawsuit has been launched in the United States with a company that holds a patent for research on human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer.
The lawsuit, prepared by the American Civil Liberties Union, a non-governmental human rights organization, was filed on Tuesday with Myriad Genetics, as well as the US Patent and Trademark Office.
One of the plaintiffs is a 39-year-old resident of Texas, Genae Girard, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. After that, she decided to undergo genetic tests to detect an increased risk of ovarian cancer. The results were positive, and the woman wanted to do additional tests to make a final decision about the operation to remove the ovaries. However, it turned out to be impossible to undergo additional tests, since Myriad Genetics has a patent for all studies of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes responsible for the increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
In addition to Girard, the plaintiffs are four cancer patients, as well as several scientists engaged in genetic research. They are trying to challenge the monopoly on the research of certain genes by companies that have invested in their discovery and study, and have received the corresponding patent.
According to the plaintiffs, patents for research on various genes restrict the civil liberties of patients, allow patent-holders to set an inflated cost of genetic tests, and also deprive other organizations of the opportunity to study these genes.
Some companies that have patents for gene research grant a license to conduct genetic analyses to specialized laboratories. However, there are not many such companies yet. Currently, patents have been obtained in the United States for the study of genes that make up about 20 percent of the human genome, which makes the development of next-generation genetic analyses impossible without obtaining the appropriate license from the patent holder.
Copper News based on the materials of The New York Times: Cancer Patients Challenge the Patenting of a GenePortal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru