Re: horizontal gene transfer...some implications
Posted by Amaranth Rose on Jul 04, 2002 at 10:09
(65.172.150.151)Re: horizontal gene transfer...some implications (Southern Man)
In the first instance, it looks like the plants were patentable only because they contained the designer genes, which were patentable. It appears that what was patented was the gene, with the plant as incidental carrier.
#2 is a case of someone attempting to patent themselves. I would find this acceptable only in the instance where the person is trying to patent themselves and not any other living being. If one were to be patenting other persons, that would imply, in my opinion, total ownership, and therefore would amount to slavery. We had a really big war about that a century and a half ago; don't really want to do that again.
Hmm. Clone wars, maybe?
If a person were able to demonstrate that they possessed a truly unique gene which no one else in the entire universe had, then I can see patenting. But most people's genes are really pretty common. :-)