A Truly Modern Prometheus: Law and Policy at the Brink of a Genetic Revolution

As scientists scramble to develop an ever more advanced understanding of the human genome, and doctors and businesses compete to put new techniques and technologies to medical and commercial use, the impact of these developments will be profound, not least in their legal implications. Privacy, property, and patent law issues abound, as the interests of scientists, donors, patients, doctors, and businesses collide at the bleeding edge of gene science. This paper examines what protections currently exist, in terms of the right to privacy and to property interests in genetic material. This paper also looks at the current state of patent law as it may apply to germ line genetic therapies that can be patented, and what that means for the patient.