Gene Discovery, Patents, and the Community

A thoughtful and very well written blog post by Sue Freidman on "Gene Discovery, Patents, and the Community"






To read the full post visit: http://facingourrisk.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/1314/ Read more!

CT Declares Today as Lynch Syndrome Awareness Day!

Lynch Syndrome Awareness Day in CT! For anyone diagnosed with colon or uterine cancer under age 50 - consider seeing a genetic counselor for a discussion of your family history and possible genetic testing.

Read more!

Vote to help Yale start a chapter of Camp Kesem

Vote here to help Yale start a chapter of Camp Kesem - a free, life-changing summer camp for children affected by a parent’s cancer.

The chapter has successfully made it through the application process and is now competing in an online voting process that will determine if they receive funding for the materials and training to bring Camp Kesem to Yale!

Help bring this great program to Yale - vote at:
http://www.vote.livestrong.org/regions/7/26-Yale-University/ Read more!

Are Gene Patents Blocking Personalized Medicine?

Race to patent the BRCA1/2 genes won by a private company with one day to spare - the information was published widely the next day by another group. The BRCA patents have allowed a private company to hold a complete monopoly on BRCA testing in the U.S.

In a few weeks, ACLU lawyers will ask Supreme Court judges to invalidate patents on human genes. Their case centers on a technical argument: Products of nature are not patentable by law. Lawyers representing Myriad Genetics will argue the opposite by saying that researchers alter DNA by sequencing it.

Read more here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/gene-patents-and-personalized-medicine/ Read more!