title: Is there a unique moral status of human DNA that prevents patenting?
abstract: The gene patenting debate, which proved to be a focal point for divergent moral concerns about recent developments in genome research and biotechnology, has revealed that the moral status of DNA is not clear. One of the arguments used to stop undesirable developments was that DNA possesses a unique status, which renders it unfit for patenting. This paper investigates the allegedly unique (moral) status of genetic material and the information it holds from different perspectives. Several properties of DNA prove to be unique. We examine the relevance of these for patentability of genes and conclude that only the unique symbolic meaning of DNA is a relevant factor, which should be taken into account but weighed against other interests involved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ethics, Philosophy, and History of Medicine, University Medical Centre, Nijmegen University, Netherlands.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoedemaekers
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dekkers
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D004989:Ethics; D005796:Genes; D030661:Genetic Privacy; D005820:Genetic Testing; D005823:Genetics; D015894:Genome, Human; D018594:Human Body; D006801:Humans; D010330:Patents as Topic; D028723:Personhood
chemical_list: D004247:DNA