2010 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2010. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.

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2. Is the ability to patent genes fair? Can anyone really "own" a gene and prohibit others from using it in research?
     Kris Wetterstrand, M.S.: I currently work on the Large-scale Sequencing Program, which managed the Human Genome Project, and the Human Microbiome Project, an effort to sequence the DNA of microbes (e.g. bacteria) that live in and on humans. I think it doesn't make sense to own a gene. However, years ago it took a lot of effort to identify genes, so I can understand why people patented them. Now, it takes more than gene identification to get a patent.
Saint Ignatius College Prep in IL (11th grade student)

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