WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, COURTESY: NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Last week, consumer genomic testing company 23andMe received its first ever patent, which secured the intellectual property surrounding a variant of the human SGK1 gene that may prove to protect individuals carrying the LRRK2 G2019S mutation from developing Parkinson's disease. The move, announced on its blog, The Spittoon, last week (May 28), stirred up a storm of questions about the company's true intentions given the controversial nature of patenting genes.
23andMe cofounder Anne Wojcicki wrote in the post, "Our patent is an important step in ensuring that we’ve done all we can towards successful translation of this discovery." She explained that officials at the company feel that "patents should not be used to obstruct research or prevent individuals from knowing what’s in their genome." But ...
