In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled last week that human genes cannot be patented, while at the same time providing legal protections for synthetically produced gene material, reports CNN.
The ruling came in response to a suit filed by a group of medical researchers against Myriad Genetics, a company that owns seven patents on two genes linked to breast and ovarian cancer. The company's monopoly on the genes came to the public's attention after actress Angelina Jolie published an op-ed in the New York Times describing the cost of the test and its unavailability to many women.
Dr. Robert Darnell, president and scientific director of the New York Genome Center, speaking with Reuters, said the Court's decision was an even-handed one.
"[It] sets a fair and level playing field for open and responsible use of genetic information," he said. "At the same time, it does not preclude the opportunity for innovation in the genetic world."
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