Navigation Links
Association for Molecular Pathology joins ACLU to challenge gene patents
Date:5/13/2009

Washington, DC May 13, 2009 The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) announced today that it is working with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Public Patent Foundation to bring a lawsuit charging that patents on two human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer are unconstitutional and should be invalidated. Individuals with certain mutations along these two genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, are at a significantly higher risk for developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancers.

The lawsuit, Association for Molecular Pathology, et al. v. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, et al., was filed May 12 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and Myriad Genetics and the University of Utah Research Foundation, which hold the patents on the BRCA genes. The plaintiffs include organizations representing over 150,000 researchers and pathologists, breast cancer and women's health groups, and individual women.

"After careful deliberation, AMP decided to join this suit as a plaintiff and was the first professional association to do so," said Jan A. Nowak, MD, PhD, the president of AMP. "We have done this for a number of reasons, the most compelling of which is that the principle being argued in the case is consistent with our desire to support public policies that we believe are in the best interests of our profession and the patients we serve."

In 2008, AMP adopted a revised Policy Statement on gene patenting and the licensing of intellectual property that urged an end to the practice of granting patents on single genes, sequences of the genome or correlations between genetic variations and biological states. AMP also encouraged groups that currently hold gene patents, including higher educational and research institutions, not to grant exclusive licenses to access those patents.

"This suit is not intended to allege that Myriad is an une
'/>"/>

Contact: Rachel Myers
rmyers@aclu.org
212-549-2689
Association for Molecular Pathology
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Claims of sex-related differences in genetic association studies often not properly validated
2. Highlights from the September 2007 Journal of the American Dietetic Association
3. Highlights from the November 2007 Journal of the American Dietetic Association
4. Highlights from the December 2007 Journal of the American Dietetic Association
5. Researchers find association between food insecurity and developmental risk in children
6. Highlights from the February 2008 Journal of the American Dietetic Association
7. Potential association of type 2 diabetes genes with prostate cancer
8. Journal of Womens Health named official journal of American Medical Womens Association
9. Highlights from the May 2008 Journal of the American Dietetic Association
10. Controlling embryonic fate by association
11. Analysis of millions of US births shows association between birth defects and preterm birth

Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:12/3/2009)...e extinction of plant and animal species can be li...umping a cabinet full of potential medicines into ...cDonald,s burgers. , But the decline of species ...ing. New research now suggests it may also put you..., "Habitat destruction and biodiversity loss,"dr...
(Date:12/3/2009)...ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Most scientists believe that st...that signal each other to emit toxins. The signali...acteria must be present to start the process. , ... that the very first stage of staph infection, whe...rm, occurs in a single cell and that this individu...
(Date:12/3/2009)...rest dwellers must be included in the design of th...void a humanitarian crisis, according to a scienti...in Nature , Dr Simon Lewis argues that at least 5...openhagen, known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from ...forest dwellers directly, and their property right...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Species down, disease up 2Species down, disease up 3Species down, disease up 4Stopping MRSA before it becomes dangerous is possible, Sandia/UNM researchers find 2Stopping MRSA before it becomes dangerous is possible, Sandia/UNM researchers find 3Forest deal at Copenhagen must avoid creating 'carbon refugees' 2Phase 3 Trial of Aflibercept in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Discontinued 4975 1Phase 3 Trial of Aflibercept in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Discontinued 4975 2Phase 3 Trial of Aflibercept in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Discontinued 4975 3Phase 3 Trial of Aflibercept in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Discontinued 4975 4Phase 3 Trial of Aflibercept in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Discontinued 4975 5West to Present at Two Upcoming Investor Conferences 56960 1West to Present at Two Upcoming Investor Conferences 56960 2Biologists discover death stench is a universal ancient warning signal 9892 1Biologists discover death stench is a universal ancient warning signal 9892 2
... a combination of individual scientific skills, ex... together, these offer the opportunity to build a ...ration that will address the urgent need for bring...their discovery, antibiotics and other antimicrobi...cantly eased patients suffering. However, over tim...
...n China and Southeast Asia could be effectively re...to research published in PLoS Medicine. , Infecti...me 200 million people worldwide, and can cause ser...teven Riley of the University of Hong Kong and col...sitic worm Schistosoma japonicum in fifty villages...
...f Bristol shows that by suppressing one of the gen...s can heal faster and reduce scarring. This has ma...so for people who suffer organ tissue damage throu...amaged a blood clot forms and cells underneath the...ring. Scarring is a natural part of tissue repair ...
Other Biology News:Unique fungal collection could hold key to future antibiotics 2Unique fungal collection could hold key to future antibiotics 3Controlling schistosomiasis: buffalo or snails? 2Skin care: new research into scar-free healing 2
(Date:12/3/2009)...AM, Mass., Dec. 3 Invern...obal leader in enabling individuals to take charge...id diagnostics and health management, has declared...vertible Perpetual Preferred Stock ( IMA-PB). The ...in an amount per share equal to the quotient of (a...
(Date:12/2/2009)...MBIA, Md., Dec. 2 Martek...d today that it intends to release the results of ...r 16, 2009, at approximately 4:00 p.m. Eastern Tim...rtek will conduct a conference call to discuss the... may listen to the call live via webcast by visiti...
(Date:12/2/2009)... NEW YORK, Dec. 2 Reportlinker.com...ailable in its catalogue: ,, Carbondioxide Inc...://www.reportlinker.com/p0164368/Carbondioxide-Inc... Incubators are the most critical equipment used i...her applications for providing a controlled enviro...
(Date:12/2/2009)...HAGEN, Dec. 2 The world,s first co...technology, a breakthrough alternative to replace ...acture of synthetic rubber with renewable biomass,...k. One tire will be on display at a lounge in the ...nal Airport throughout December 21, while the othe...
Breaking Biology Technology:Martek to Announce Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2009 Results 2Reportlinker Adds Carbondioxide Incubators - A Global Market Perspective 2Reportlinker Adds Carbondioxide Incubators - A Global Market Perspective 3Reportlinker Adds Carbondioxide Incubators - A Global Market Perspective 4The World's First Goodyear Concept Tires Made with BioIsoprene(TM) Technology Arrive in Copenhagen in time for United Nations Climate Change Conference 2The World's First Goodyear Concept Tires Made with BioIsoprene(TM) Technology Arrive in Copenhagen in time for United Nations Climate Change Conference 3
... of U.S. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Redondo Beach, Calif....tic or Republican? , ,As silly as that question is...lamentable wedge issues of the 2004 presidential c...blame if stem cell science takes a back seat to st...c National Convention a few weeks ago, you may hav...
... record information, and more. MADISON, Wis. My ...sin-Madison students, staff and faculty for online...o uPortal, the university announced Wednesday. The... also announced. , ,The migration, already in its ... 2005. According to Brian Rust, spokesman for the ...
...42 YP leaders from across the US this week. Theyre...l YP come-together. And theyre blowing me away. He...mand media attention. If these folks were my PR te...yre honked that many community leaders view their ...e either gone completely around the traditional po...
Other Biology Technology:Dividing stem cells along partisan lines isnt a good experiment 2Dividing stem cells along partisan lines isnt a good experiment 3"My UW Madison" portal migrating to uPortal 2From the YP Front Lines 2
Mouse Anti-Trop-2 Monoclonal Antibody, Unconjugated, Clone 162-46 from BD Biosciences Pharmingen
Sf21 Cells (SFM Adapted) from Invitrogen
Goat Anti-MAGP-2 (C-19) Polyclonal Antibody, Unconjugated from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc.
Mouse Anti-TGF-beta 2 Monoclonal Antibody, Unconjugated, Clone 8607 from R&D Systems
Biology Products: