Supreme Court rules human genes may not be patented

By Robert Barnes and Brady Dennis

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that human genes cannot be patented, a decision that is likely to shape the future of medical and biotech research.

Those who challenged the notion that something that occurs naturally in the human body can be “owned” by a company said the decision could open a new era of expanded research and lower costs for genetic testing.

At the same time, the ruling held out hope for industry that certain research methods and the creation of synthetic DNA can be protected and thus worth the investment.

“Today, the court struck down a major barrier to patient care and medical innovation,” said Sandra Park of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented doctors, researchers and cancer patients who brought the challenge.

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