Human genetics : minutes of evidence, Wednesday 8 February 1995 ... / Science and Technology Committee.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology
Date:
[1995], ©1995
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Human genetics : minutes of evidence, Wednesday 8 February 1995 ... / Science and Technology Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    37/40 (page 107)
    8 February 1995] [Continued ban on patenting of materials derived from human samples. As with photographs of people, the circumstances in which they are taken, and the use made of them, may be controlled to take account of the rights of the subjects (eg, to privacy). But, just as the copyright in the photograph belongs to the photographer, so the intellectual property in the isolated gene belongs to its inventor. A stronger case could perhaps be made that it is unethical to forbid patenting of human genes. Respect for human dignity should surely discourage putting obstacles in the way of developing products to relieve human distress. Printed in the United Kingdom by HMSO 19585 C5 4/95 194404