This post was published on May 2, 2011.
The debate with respect to genetic and stem cell patents is alive with the European Court of Justice's (ECJ) preliminary opinion in March. As per the opinion, embryonic stem cells are not patentable because use of totipotent stem cells amounts to use of human embryo for industrial or commercial purposes. As totipotent stem cells can develop into a human being and are derived from an embryo, they as per the opinion can…
The sticky nature of Biotechnology research has always led to massive debates every time there was a path-breaking discovery. It happened with Nucleic acids, amino acids, genetic modifications, transgenic animals, and now stem cell research. This has been mainly because of its close and unavoidable link to life. When we came to believe that stem cell therapy for all monstrous ailments is around the corner, the moral police made its presence felt. After the famous WARF patents in the US,…