City Libraries, City of Gold Coast

The genome defense, inside the epic legal battle to determine who owns your DNA, Jorge L. Contreras

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 367-371) and index

illustrationsportraits

index present

non fiction

The genome defense

Jorge L. Contreras

inside the epic legal battle to determine who owns your DNA

When attorney Chris Hansen learned that the U.S. government was issuing patents for human genes to biotech companies, his first thought was, How can a corporation own what makes us who we are? Then he discovered that women were being charged exorbitant fees to test for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers, tests they desperately needed-all because Myriad Genetics had patented the famous BRCA genes. So he sued them. Jorge L. Contreras, one of the nation's foremost authorities on human genetics law, has devoted years to investigating the groundbreaking civil rights case known as AMP v. Myriad. In The Genome Defense Contreras gives us the view from inside as Hansen and his team of ACLU lawyers, along with a committed group of activists, scientists, and physicians, take their one-in-a-million case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Contreras interviewed more than a hundred key players involved in all aspects of the case-from judges and policy makers to ethicists and genetic counselors, as well as cancer survivors and those whose lives would be impacted by the decision-expertly weaving together their stories into a fascinating narrative of this pivotal moment in history. The Genome Defense is a powerful and compelling story about how society must balance scientific discovery with corporate profits and the rights of all people

Who can we sue? -- The world in the Helix -- The gene queen -- Mr. Lincoln's boat -- The ACLU way -- Product of nature -- On the hill -- Speaking of patents -- The power of pink -- We've got you covered -- BART -- Patents and plaintiffs -- Pulling the trigger -- The big guns -- SDNY -- Chicken and egg -- We're from the government -- Splitting the baby -- The patent court -- Magic microscope -- Last man standing -- Déjà vu all over again -- Air force 1 -- With friends like these -- Oyez, oyez, oyez! -- 9-0 -- Aftermath