Many people go through the day not being concerned with patents and their roll on human life. However, as described by the following article, patents do have a direct affect on our lives more importantly in the medical field. The article, written by Kari Lydersen, discusses a patent on a gene mutation test, which if found to be positive will show women that they are more likely to develop breast and ovarian cancer. Unfortunately the costs are keeping women from being able to gain access to the test.
Richard Marsh, Myraid’s executive vice president and general counsel has stated:
“The whole patent system is to incentivize people to go out and develop a product and make it more accessible. We’ve literally spent hundreds of thousands if not millions to convince physicians and insurance companies that if you can diagnose someone with a predisposition [to cancer,] you’ll save more money by paying for the $3,000 test than hundreds of thousands on chemotherapy and surgeries.” While this is true most women cannot afford $3,000 on a test.
Marsh knows that the patents expire in 4 years, at which point any company can offer the test for any cost, but how is it fair to the women from now until 2014 who become terminally ill? It isn’t. We need to take a step away from the proprietary world as we know it and begin to use technology to help save lives.

To read the entire article click HERE