HIV Gene is OWNED

[ACinKC]

I read a book by Michael Crichton called NEXT it is all about Gene's.  At the end in the authors note, he discusses how wrong it is that gene's are being patented and owned by corporations.   One of the one's he mentioned was HIV.......  this is troublesome.

Does anyone have any more information on this.

[Tucsonwoody]

Hey AC -

I am not sure anyone owns the hiv gene but have read about the tons of patents that have been issued in the past few years on lost of genes.  Here are two articles that discuss the subject...they are kinda long but may answer your question.

Who Owns My Disease?

News: In the scramble to patent human genes, companies have put profits ahead of patients' needs. Now some families with congenital diseases are staking a claim on the genetics revolution-and their own DNA.

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2001/11/gene.html

and

How Gene Patents Are Putting Your Health at Risk

A fifth of your genes belong to someone else. That’s because the U.S. Patent Office has given various labs, companies and universities the rights to 20% of the genes found in everyone’s DNA— with some disturbing results.

http://parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_11-26-2006/Intelligence_Report

Kinda scary alright

[ACinKC]

He did specifically mention HIV, this I am sure


“Major hepatitis C and HIV genes and various diabetes genes are all owned,” Crichton, an M.D., tells us.

This was from your parade.com article.

[ChaplinGuy]

There was a fairly decent (though clearly far left) documentary called "The Corporation" that talked about this in-depth. It was the first time I'd ever heard that this was possible:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379225/

They go into the ways and legal hoops that corporations have used to obtain patents to everything from breast cancer DNA/genes to HIV. Worth a watch.