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Global Business: Gene Patenting

Gene Patenting

17/08/2013

BBC World Service - Global Business, Gene Patenting

Is gene patenting a good or bad thing for medical innovation?

A recent US Supreme Court ruling found that companies cannot patent things found in nature. Peter Day asks what this means for the biotech business.

Ever since the mapping of the human genome was completed 10 years ago medical companies have been rushing to patent genes that define all of us for their own exclusive use. Now the US Supreme Court has ruled against patenting things found in nature. Peter Day asks what this means for the biotech business.and for the future of healthcare.

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