US Supreme Court says human DNA cannot be patented

Human genes may not be patented, but artificially copied DNA can be claimed as intellectual property, the US Supreme Court has ruled unanimously.

US Supreme Court says human DNA cannot be patented 6466659702deae41bd1944f

The court quashed patents held by a Utah-based firm on two genes linked to breast and ovarian cancer.

The opinion said DNA came from nature and was not eligible for patenting.

The US biotechnology industry had warned any blanket ban on such patents would jeopardise huge investment in gene research and therapies.

"We hold that a naturally occurring DNA segment is a product of nature and not patent eligible merely because it has been isolated," Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in Thursday's opinion.

But his ruling said that synthetic molecules known as complementary DNA can be patented "because it is not naturally occurring".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22895161

If they INVENTED a particular UNIQUE technique for isolating just those 2 genes, then that would be their specific property and should be protected, ie. patentable.

But if they just threw a bunch of genes into a kitchen blender and set it spinning, while those two genes then bunched up and separated from the rest, then no...

The technique would be patentable?

US Supreme Court says human DNA cannot be patented

US Supreme Court says human DNA cannot be patented

Anarcho-Capitalist Non-Miscellaneous

AnCaps With FreeStyle Miscellaneous