Gene Patents: Good or Bad?

Gene Patents: Good or Bad?

Recently, I have been debating on whether gene patents should be allowed in Congress debate at my Rhetoric class. It hass been extremely interesting and brings great thoughts about what the US can do to improve the future of scientific innovation. A gene is defined as a specific sequence of nucleotides. Recently, companies have developing their own gene sequences to solve diseases and patenting them. Once this happens, other companies are not allowed to research or sell this newly developed gene. Is this good or bad? 

Well, those in favor of passing a bill abolishing gene patenting claim that since gene patents allow only one company to research that gene, and hence impeding the rate of scientific discovery because only the company that patented the gene is allowed to research it. Also, those voting affirmative on this bill also stated that with gene patents, companies can literally control the genes in every human's body. They claim that this is unethical because people's genes should not be controlled by CEOs who just want their paycheck and that since genes are part of nature, one cannot place a patent on it. In addition, they state that gene patents create monopolies, and that customers will only be able to buy the products of the monopoly because it is the only one on the market. Without any other companies to run tests to compare and check whether the genes solve diseases or not, there is no way to verify if the gene actually solves the problem at hand.

Those in favor of negating this bill also have multiple arguments.They state that genes include any invention, including genes, and therefore can be patented. Also, one of their biggest points is that companies require an incentive to research and develop genes, and without patents and a proper way to gain money, companies will not research genes in the first place. For investors, if they are not sure that the company will be able to patent the bill and gain income from it, they will not invest money into R&D (research and development) in the first place. They claim that without proper investments and an incentive, companies will not fund the R&D of genes. 

All in all, this is a hot debate topic in my class, and is developing all over the country. Are you affirmative or negative? Are gene patents helpful or detrimental? Should we abolish them or leave them as they are? You choose for yourself.

Benjamin Button Disease

Benjamin Button DiseaseThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a fantasy drama film aired in 2008. It starred Brad Pitt as Benjamin, a man who was born with the appearance of an old man, and actually grew younger over time. This movie was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, including Best Actor, and Best Director. Needless to say, it was a good movie. Yet, most of those who watched it mostly thought of it as "just a movie." Only recently have scientists discovered that a disease similar, but possibly even worse, than Benjamin Button's disease exists. Sadly, this is not a disease that results in people who ages backwards in his appearance, but actually for them to age backwards mentally. Two brothers, Matthew and Michael Clark have been diagnosed with terminal leukodystrophy. In the two men's brains, a group of neurological disorders work to damage the myelin sheath, a protective covering around nerve fibers in the brain. When these fibers are damaged, the brain send wrong signals and the result is disastrous. Recently, there lives have crumbled as one of the two lost his job, and they could not live by himself out on the streets. At this point, the brothers, who are roughly about 40 years old, with one about to become a grandfather, have the mental maturity of a child and play with toys, board games, and balloons. Their parents and children are in extreme grief, as they can no longer interact properly with the men they one knew. This disease is extremely rare, and the chance that it could affect two people in the same family is one in 3 billion people. Another case was with young 14-year-old Lorenzo Odone, who was also diagnosed with the fatal disease. He died at age 30, and his parents founded the Myelin Project, which is still researching for a cure to terminal leukodystophy. Let us hope that they will eventually be able to find a cure, to save the lives of the very few people like Matthew and Michael Clark.