Reference no: EM132761267
Dr. Sharon Martin and her company have spent years working to identify how the gene for albinism works. The mutation in this gene causes no pigment to be produced in the hair, skin or eyes. Identifying the gene would open the door to curing the condition. Finally, her team succeeds. But, the years of research have been expensive. One way to make back the money is to patent the gene that the team members have identified. Then, anyone who wanted to develop either treatments or tests would have to pay a fee to use the gene.
a. Do you think the government should allow this gene to be patented? Explain.
b. If Dr. Martin's company develops a test for this gene, should they be allowed to patent the test? Explain.
2) John Smith is 30 years old when his father dies of complications of Huntington's disease, a genetic condition that usually does not show up until a person is 35-40 years old. Huntington's is characterized by a slow progression of physical and mental deterioration leading to death. There is now a test available to see if the Huntington's gene is present. John decides to take the test to see if he will suffer from the disease in the future. Somehow, John's health and life insurance company learn about the results of the test and cancel his insurance. Then, he is released from his job of more than eight years. Company officials are afraid that the medical costs of caring for John will increase the group insurance rate.
a. Should the company be allowed to make decisions based on medical information from John's DNA? Explain.
b. Should the company be able to make John's information available to other companies that John is interviewing with? Why or why not?