Biotechs can patent your body and profit, without your permission

When we think of patent law, we often think of technology, engineering, and intellectual property. Rarely do we think of living organisms. In 1980, however, the Supreme Court ruled that man-made organisms could be patented by the scientists who created them. This includes everything from cells to plants, animals or even genes. Since then, the United States Patent Office has granted 40,000 patents for genes alone. Genetic patenting is the subject of Harriet Washington’s new book, Deadly ...