the good side won

Today sanity prevailed, justice was served and the good guys won.I don't get to say that very often.In a unanimous decision, the US Supreme Court ruled today that genes cannot be patented. They were specifically addressing the patenting of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes by Myriad Technologies, a company that claimed the right to conduct all testing for genetic predisposition for breast and ovarian cancers.The impact of Myriad's patent was widespread. Several Canadian provinces were ordered to "cease and desist" testing of the BRCA genes. Instead, the provinces were ordered to send the genes directly to Myriad labs, at a dramatically increased cost. Disregarding the order has put Canadian provinces and hospitals at risk of being sued, rendered testing more expensive and, in some cases, halted testing completely.Patenting also has the potential to deter researchers from engaging in research involving patented genes.On behalf of the Supreme Court, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote  “A naturally occurring DNA segment is a product of nature and not patent eligible merely because it has been isolated" and ""Myriad did not create anything. To be sure, it found an important and useful gene, but separating that gene from its surrounding genetic material is not an act of invention."That's pretty clear. And it should have been obvious. You can't patent parts of our bodies.  But the Association for Molecular Pathology, the American Civil Liberties Union, Breast Cancer Action and some very...
Source: Not just about cancer - Category: Cancer Tags: breast cancer news health care cancer blog good stuff Source Type: blogs