Should Human Genes Be Patented

¶ … human genes be patented? Patenting Genes The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a chemical information structure that contains the whole composition of the cell, as it determines the nature of proteins it produces, its life span, and its function. Genes are part of the DNA and they are practically functioning subunits with each of these respective units having a certain set of instructions that typically code particular proteins or functions.

While naturally occurring genes are present in people's bodies, artificial gene synthesis has made it possible for scientists to create artificial genes in laboratories. Gene synthesis services have recently become a major commercial opportunity and companies from around the world now provide individuals with the possibility to access their services. By looking at the case involving Myriad Genetics, one can easily understand why it would be important for genes to be patented. The company is trying to patent genes that are connected to a hereditary form of breast cancer.

Another reason why it would be profitable for society as a whole to patent genes is the fact that this would bring on the opportunity to invest in research and progress. The fact that most companies need financial assistance in order to develop new projects means that it would be essential for genes to be patented in order for these respective companies to work effectively.

Patenting genes would be wrong because they are basically products of nature and it would not be normal for them to be patented simply because they have been isolated. This basically means that companies want to patent concepts that do not belong to them. Patenting genes can have a particularly negative impact on research, considering that companies that own patents would prevent researchers from being able to work with their patents.

Furthermore, patients who need particular information concerning a gene would have to wait until companies owning them would send information back. Gene patents are essentially against a series of inviolable rights that all people should have. Society would have to invest a great deal of resources in studying genes in order for companies interested in patenting them to be discouraged and to eventually join in the research process.

"This is a remote and distant possibility (anticipated and prepared for by the heroic Steven Salzberg, of the University of Maryland), but it illustrates that the sort of control over individuals posed by patent ownership falls short of violating our individual autonomy over our bodies." (Koepsell) Patenting genes would eventually come to be.