Human Genes Not Patentable, Supreme Court Says

4:56 minutes

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that the mere act of isolating a DNA sequence does not make human genes patentable. Mary-Claire King, who helped discover the breast cancer gene at the center of the court dispute, discusses the ruling and its implications for genetics.

Segment Guests

Mary-Claire King

Mary-Claire King is professor of medical genetics and of genome sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington.

Meet the Producer

About Annette Heist

Annette Heist is a former senior producer for Science Friday.

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