Patent
Gene Patents: Sequencing Scientific Controversy
Do you have the rights to your own DNA? A question Genae Girard never considered until she was denied that right. How can someone else own your DNA? Current models estimate that as much as 20% of all human genetic material has been patented [1]. Recently this practice has entered the national spotlight with the landmark [...]
Your Genes Belong to Us: Gene Patenting and its Discontents
By Gengshi Chen Genae Girard, a 39-year-old woman living in the US, had to pay a staggering $3200 for a single genetic test for the BRCA gene associated with breast and ovarian cancer, only to find that she was unable to request a second opinion upon receiving the positive test result. After consulting with doctors, [...]
Stem Cell Research: Effects of the Patenting Landscape
Ever since stem cell research began in the late 1900’s, the field has been fraught with a variety of issues including bioethics, funding, and general skepticism. The debate on stem cells has been unrelenting, and policies on the field are usually contentious topics during political campaigns. Apart from bone marrow transplantation [1], all other potential [...]
Hidden Obstacles in Cancer Research
While undeniable strides in medical research over the past few decades have proven invaluable in the search for a cancer cure, there is no shortage of obstacles that remain to be addressed. Perhaps the most evident are complications in the biology of the disease itself: among these, problems pertaining to cell identification and treatment specificity. [...]
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