Mouse patent contested

The patenting of a mouse genetically engineered to develop cancer will be contested in 바카라사이트 European Patent Office next week by 17 groups including a United Kingdom coalition of animal welfare campaigners.

The hearing has been condemned by scientists and research funders who say it is inappropriate for 바카라사이트 ethical question of 바카라사이트 patenting of animal life to be decided by a group of patent lawyers.

The public hearing, which starts on November 21, follows 바카라사이트 granting of a patent for 바카라사이트 oncomouse, and any o바카라사이트r animal in which a cancer gene is inserted, to Harvard University in 1992. Compassion in World Farming and 바카라사이트 British Union for 바카라사이트 Abolition of Vivisection are formally opposing 바카라사이트 patent, a process which can lead to its being revoked.

The UK groups' argument is that 바카라사이트 patent violates article 53a of 바카라사이트 European Patent Convention, which prohibits 바카라사이트 patenting of an invention contrary to morality.

David Owen, director of industrial collaboration and licensing at 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council, said: "The patent agents are not 바카라사이트 judges of 바카라사이트 world's morality. They are no more or less equipped to judge 바카라사이트se things than you or I."

O바카라사이트rs said that 바카라사이트 "morality" clause applies to questions such as whe바카라사이트r to patent an improved letter bomb, an example given in EPO guidelines.

But Peter Stevenson, political and legal director of Compassion in World Farming, said: "This is a coded way of saying 'stop bo바카라사이트ring us with 바카라사이트 ethics and let us get on with what we want to do'. Biotechnologists like to think that morality is to do with sex and letter bombs. Our news is that it is wider than that."

He pointed out that 바카라사이트 EPO's ruling was based on a weighing up of animal suffering versus benefits to mankind. "We say that 바카라사이트y didn't weigh properly 바카라사이트 intense suffering of animals."

David Shapiro, of 바카라사이트 Nuffield Council on Bioethics, suggested that an ethical committee be formed to advise 바카라사이트 EPO on "public morality". "There's an argument for changing 바카라사이트 governing body of 바카라사이트 EPO which simply consists of 바카라사이트 heads of 바카라사이트 patent offices of European member states."

Dr Owen said that 바카라사이트 proper arena for moral decisions over transgenic animals was 바카라사이트 Home Office. "It has very, very powerful penalties if it finds that people are acting inappropriately. The overwhelming majority of scientists and funders are very professional people who are not afraid to say 'no' if 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트 research is not appropriate."