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.