Human Genome Project Information Genomic Science Program DOE Microbial Genomics home

Spanning Disciplines, Advancing Knowledge Promoting Awareness, Progress, and Applications of the Human Genome Project

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Human Genome Program

go to list of issues

Human Genome News Archive Edition

The text below is a sidebar accompanying the Santa Fe Meeting's ELSI Report.

Patenting and Database Controversies --- Does the One with the Most Sequence Really Win?

Rebecca Eisenberg (University of Michigan Law School) raised intriguing questions about the proper roles of government and industry in genomic research. One consideration is who stands to benefit (and to lose) rom the private appropriation of genomic information. Controversy, she noted, is particularly acute over the intellectual property rights in large-scale cDNA sequencing data.

Genomics research involves a major commitment of both federal and private funds, and both groups have an interest in making use of the wealth of new discoveries, she noted. In addition, the implications for human health make public access crucial. Access also affects the interests of the young biotechnology industry, as well as the more established pharmaceutical companies. Eisenberg analyzed possible motivations behind recent steps taken by Merck & Co., Human Genome Sciences, and Incyte to develop databases of human gene sequences. The take-home lesson, she concluded, may be that the value of a rich public domain to both the public and private sectors has been underestimated. An article on Eisenberg's project will appear in a future issue of HGN.

Return to the Table of Contents

Back to Home Page

The electronic form of the newsletter may be cited in the following style:
Human Genome Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Human Genome News (v7n6).

Last modified: Wednesday, October 29, 2003

Home * Contacts * Disclaimer

Document Use and Credits
Publications and webpages on this site were created by the U.S. Department of Energy Genome Program's Biological and Environmental Research Information System (BERIS). Permission to use these documents is not needed, but please credit the U.S. Department of Energy Genome Programs and provide the website http://genomics.energy.gov. All other materials were provided by third parties and not created by the U.S. Department of Energy. You must contact the person listed in the citation before using those documents.

Base URL: www.ornl.gov/hgmis

Site sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Human Genome Program