Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Joan Ruddock (Labour), on Wednesday, 19 January 2000, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 41 members in total.

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GENE PATENTING

That this House expresses its dismay that the US company Myriad Genetics has applied in the United Kingdom and other European countries for patents on the breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2; is concerned that the potential for the enforcement of very broad claims on human genes such as these could negatively affect genetic testing and limit the progress of medical research; accepts that biotechnology companies should be able to recoup the costs of genetic research but believes that the government must be capable of intervening in the public interest to avoid patient suffering and safeguard biomedical research; and calls on the Government to clarify the United Kingdom position on patenting human genes and to ensure that the focus of genetic research is not transferred from the laboratory to the courtroom.

Amendments

The Early day motion has received 2 amendments.

298A2

after 'research' insert 'reminds the government of the recommendation of the science and technology select committee that only a combination of a gene and a known utility which is novel and not obvious should be patentable in the context of that utility and a combination of the same gene and a further novel utility should also be patentable.'.

298A1

after 'genes' to insert 'and those of other living entities'.'

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

298 

298A2 

298A1 

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Biotechnology Genetic engineering Patents Myriad Genetics

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk