Find a good example of the "science business" described above and analyze it as a potential factor in the Digital Divide discussed earlier. Is the proposed connection likely or not? Blog your opinion!
There is a company in the United States called Myriad Genetics which has become one of the focal points of outrage over intellectual property protection in biotech industries.
The company is said to hold patents over two genes that are associated with breast and ovarian cancer.
Now, to me, it is puzzling that genes can even be patented, as they are completely natural. It sounds about as mad as patenting the sea.
The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) says that about 20 % of our genes are patented in the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), and that a gene patent holder has the right to prevent the studying and testing of a gene.
The patents seem to be specifically for chemical compositions. The reason why gene sequences can be patented is essentially because you can patent chemicals. The PTO does not allow for the patenting of raw natural materials, so the patent is for isolated and purified DNA.
The upshot is that there is a significant hindrance on research on that 20% on genes and a significant emphasis on raking in the profits.
It doesn't really lead to a digital divide, but it sure does lead to some kind of divide. Pharmaceutical companies, like any other companies, operate in the interest of their bottom lines and their shareholders. Consequently, whenever possible, the price of medication will be high regardless of the ethical implications of people who might not afford it and the nature of medicine itself will not necessarily be about curing diseases, but about facilitating the use of drugs.
There is a company in the United States called Myriad Genetics which has become one of the focal points of outrage over intellectual property protection in biotech industries.
The company is said to hold patents over two genes that are associated with breast and ovarian cancer.
Now, to me, it is puzzling that genes can even be patented, as they are completely natural. It sounds about as mad as patenting the sea.
The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) says that about 20 % of our genes are patented in the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), and that a gene patent holder has the right to prevent the studying and testing of a gene.
The patents seem to be specifically for chemical compositions. The reason why gene sequences can be patented is essentially because you can patent chemicals. The PTO does not allow for the patenting of raw natural materials, so the patent is for isolated and purified DNA.
The upshot is that there is a significant hindrance on research on that 20% on genes and a significant emphasis on raking in the profits.
It doesn't really lead to a digital divide, but it sure does lead to some kind of divide. Pharmaceutical companies, like any other companies, operate in the interest of their bottom lines and their shareholders. Consequently, whenever possible, the price of medication will be high regardless of the ethical implications of people who might not afford it and the nature of medicine itself will not necessarily be about curing diseases, but about facilitating the use of drugs.
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