You Don't 'Own' Your Own Genes 293
olePigeon (Wik) writes "Cornell University's New York based Weill Cornell Medical College issued a press release today regarding an unsettling trend in the U.S. patent system: Humans don't "own" their own genes, the cellular chemicals that define who they are and what diseases for which they might be at risk. Through more than 40,000 patents on DNA molecules, companies have essentially claimed the entire human genome for profit, report Dr. Christopher E. Mason of Weill Cornell Medical College, and the study's co-author, Dr. Jeffrey Rosenfeld, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey and a member of the High Performance and Research Computing Group, who analyzed the patents on human DNA. Their study, published March 25 in the journal Genome Medicine, raises an alarm about the loss of individual 'genomic liberty.'"
Derivative Works (Score:4, Funny)
Careful, these guys are going to come after you for procreating next!
Think of the children! No, really.
Normally I wouldn't own my own genes... (Score:5, Funny)
...but fortunately, I have complete legal ownership due to the grandfather clause.
Good (Score:5, Funny)
If this is the case, Merck can send a cease and desist letter to that woman who copied my genome without permission and is now seeking child support payments.
Re:Upcoming supreme court case (Score:5, Funny)
Let me get this straight.... If this patent is upheld, it will become illegal to pass along BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes to offspring.
We've found it - the cure to cancer!
Re:Good (Score:4, Funny)
Apparently his DRM was faulty
Re:Derivative Works (Score:2, Funny)
Just be glad they patented them and didn't copyright them! patents only last 20 years, in two decades you'll own your genome again.
Re:Upcoming supreme court case (Score:4, Funny)
I'm going to be genuinely surprised if I don't have to pay licensing fees if I have a baby in the coming years.
This is slashdot: odds are we won't have to pay licensing fees no matter what they decide.
Re:Upcoming supreme court case (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Normally I wouldn't own my own genes... (Score:4, Funny)
That only covers half of your genetic material because there's no grandmother clause.
Re:Derivative Works (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Upcoming supreme court case (Score:5, Funny)
Pirate Babies FTW!!!
(points at own junk) DMCA this, motherfuckers!
Re:Derivative Works (Score:4, Funny)
So a DMCA takedown notice then
Re:Upcoming supreme court case (Score:4, Funny)
"Sir, ConglomeratedGenCo has issued a DMCA takedown request for your pants."
Re:Derivative Works (Score:4, Funny)
Careful, these guys are going to come after you for procreating next!
Now worries there. After watching things like Jersey Shore, the US Senate and most television shows it's pretty clear we're still amateurs.