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The Gene Patenting Debate

Having the right to call what would never be found otherwise is critical to the discovery of new information.
             According to The Recorder, "a modified version of [a] microorganism that has been genetically altered by humans is consider isolated human gene sequences patentable because human intervention is required to extract and purify them'. This article states that if a gene is basically man-made it should be allowed to be patented as an individual put in time and hard work to get the gene to the stage that it is now. Patenting is only allowed on non-natural molecules derived from DNA strands that are unable to be otherwise found in that condition naturally. Patenting means that the public will be unable to use the found molecule without the permission of the founder. On the other hand, many argue that gene patenting should be illegal as it is unethical to have rights to what is essentially a part of one's body. Individuals do not like the idea of someone having rights to their personal being. A major issue that comes to light is that of healthcare. People fear that because genes are able to be patented the owner can charge as much as they'd like and hinder the public from receiving medical tests they require. Inaccessibility to medical treatment would anger the public for the fact that their own bodies are the key to heal them, but because someone has rights over them they cannot cure what could have just been a minor health issue.
             Another debate that has been brought to the public's attention is that of research itself. Scientist fear that if they wish to study a gene further they may be unable to as they will not have rights over that certain piece of information. Science progresses by studying the works of previous information left by scientist, but protecting information in such a way would slow down innovation all around the world. Not being able to learn and better what has already been discovered would slow down medicine innovations and disease-detecting methods.


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