Should governments allow biotec firms patents on human genes?

Question

Biotech companies are patenting human genes making anyone doing research on those genes pay them hefty fees or stop their research. Over 1/5 of the genome has been patented! These are the genes responsible for many diseases we want cured!!

Answer 1

Yes, they should. Without patent protection the expense of doing cancer research etc...to discover new therapeutics would not be feasible. And remember patents only last 20 years!
A lot of patents are actually directed to use of a sequence in an assay, or for diagnostics to detect the presence of a certain gene. If you beat someone to the punch with filing your patent application first, you deserve to reap the benefits of securing the patent first. You get a monopoly over that gene with respect to the coverage that is detailed in the claims of your patent. Use of a sequence varies by patent. A given sequence may be the subject of many different patents, depending on how it is used and the claims are worded.
And consider chimeric sequence based therapeutics like monoclonal antibodies. Those DEFINITELY do not occur in nature. Should legislation include these sequences?

Another consideration is that genes are not necessarily the sole scope of patented biosequences. Sometimes they are short interfering RNA sequences (siRNA), sometimes they are short peptides of only a few amino acids. So patenting sequences NOT necessarily found in the human body is an important component of deciding legislation in this regard. Where do you draw the line between where a "human sequence" begins and ends? How much modification of the sequence on the researcher's part will be allowed? This is where we are at and at least for now I still have a job...

Answer 2

Should governments allow biotec firms patents on human genes? Hell ya!

Answer 3

I think what they are patenting is likely the procesure to make the gene. I don't think you could patent the actual gene. I do think it's ok. Otherwise why would a company spend millions of dollars to do the research to make the gene in the first place?

Answer 4

No. That was just dumb dumb dumb. They should be able to patent medicines and techniques that address concerns found in certain alleles, but not be able to patent the gene itself.

Answer 5

Just blow 'em up. Violence solves everything. That's what I'd do. Or you could try saying please. That wont get you anywhere though.