US supreme court to decide if companies can patent human genes

cp418

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2013/apr/11/supreme-court-gene-patents-cancer

US supreme court to decide if companies can patent human genes

Utah biotech firm to argue its patents on breast and ovarian cancer genes are necessary to fund further research

AlaskaAngel

A decision in favor of Myriad could be a significant barrier to development of the grand scheme for revolutionizing medical diagnosis and treatment, such as that proposed by Dr. Topol.

When I received my BRCA test results 10 years ago, Myriad indicated that as time went by, if they learned of any additional information related to mine they would notify me. I haven't ever heard anything more from them.

A.A.

P.S. More details...  http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2013/03/11/Minyanville%20Pickup%20Human%20Genome%20Supreme%20Court.aspx#page1 

cp418

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20130417/High-court-seems-skeptical-that-biotech-firm-can-patent-human-genes.aspx

riverhorse

I wonder if the Oncotype people and Mamaprint folks have a patent on genes or a process patent on the test itself.   

Never mind.  according to a press release

According to the company, the patents cover "methods for the algorithms used and methods utilizing genes beyond the current 21 gene set."   

So it is a patent for the test not the gene.