Against the patenting genes - Essay Example

Against patenting of genes The point of concern in this debate is more about a need to equip medical research centers with the ability and resourcesto freely conduct research and come up with solutions to health issues than about financially compensating the private investors in medical research. Gene patent should not be legalized so that more knowledge can be created for the benefit of mankind. Myriad Genetics Ic. (Myriad) used the patents to determine the typical nucleotide sequence of the genes (supremecourt.gov, 2012).

This knowledge enabled Myriad to introduce such medical tests that would be useful in the detection of genes’ mutations in patients. This is essential for assessing the predisposition of the patients to cancer. Legalization of gene patents is regressive not only to the medical research but also to the independence and growth of research centers or countries other than the one to which patent protection has been provided. It is, indeed, sad, that “some genetic tests can’t be done in Canada because U.S. companies hold patents on the tests and the genes and have threatened legal action if the patents are violated by doing the tests in Canada, rather than the U.S.” (CBC News, 2014).

Legalization of gene patents has resulted in patenting of a significant number of genes. There are total 30,000 genes in humans and 8,000 of them have already been patented (Wagner, 2009). This means that the number of genes that can be tested upon for identification of cure for diseases has been reduced significantly. So gene patenting should not be allowed. References:CBC News. (2014). U.S. gene patents: Patient care stymied in Canada, hospital claims. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/u-s-gene-patents-patient-care-stymied-in-canada-hospital-claims-1.2820211. supremecourt.gov. (2012).

Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Retrieved from http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-398_1b7d.pdf. Wagner, L. (2009). Human Genes Should Not Be Patented. UVA Lawyer. Retrieved from http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/alumni/uvalawyer/spr09/humangenes.htm.