English
Pronunciation and Grammar: Speak Method|
A
federal court of appeals has ruled that human genes can be patented.
The biotechnology company, Myriad Genetics, will be allowed to patent
two human genes which allow them to test women to see if they have a
greater risk for breast or ovarian cancer. The court ruled that DNA
which is isolated from the human body is "markedly different" in
chemical structure from DNA which exists inside chromosomes in the
body. The patentability of human genes is good news for the
biotechnology industry. Thousands of human genes have been patented,
and the biotechnology executives say the patents encourage innovation.
Critics say that it is unethical to patent something that is a part of
the human body and the natural world. They also say that the patents
allow companies to have monopolies over certain tests and this causes
the costs to be high. |
|
| Word |
Meaning |
| patent
(PA-tent or PA'Nt) |
an
exclusive right to an invention issued by the government and good for a
certain number of years |
| patented
(Pa-ten-ted or PA'N-ted) |
having
been given a patent |
| patentability
(PA-ten-tu-bi-li-dee or PA'N-tu-bi-li-dee) |
having
the ability to be patented |
| myriad
(Mi-ree-ud) |
innumerable;
having a large and indefinite number |
| ovarian (ō-VAR-ee-un) |
related
to a woman's reproductive system |
| ovary
(Ō-vu-ree) |
the
female reproductive gland |
| chromosome
(KRŌ-mu-sōms) |
thread-like
substances that contain genes |
| biotechnology
(bi-o-tek-NO-lu-jee) |
the
science of using living organisms or living systems to manufacture drugs |
| natural
(NA-chur-ul) |
formed
by nature or related to the original state of the earth |
| monopoly
(mu-NO-pu-lee) |
exclusive
control over a business market |
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