The Supreme Court will decide whether human genes can be patented.
If the Supremes allow genes to be patented, that will not mean that the patent holder actually own bits of you. But it would mean that the company would possess the exclusive right to commercially benefitfrom the use of the patented genes in the manufacture and testing of products during the term of the patent. If others wanted to use the same gene in research or manufacture, they would have to pay a licensing fee.
Here’s the problem: A patent is supposed to protect a human invention. A gene — even if isolated — is not a human invention. It occurs naturally. In that sense, I don’t see the controversy. Genes should not be patentable.
View the original article here: Supremes to decide whether others can own your genes
