This didn't take long

The Supreme Court announcement last month probably surprised no one more than Myriad Genetics who had 'patented' the BRCA genes. But is anyone surprised that less than 30 days later they have already sued two competitors who have rolled out BRCA tests?

That's right, lose your patents, your lawyers are bored so its time to start litigation. What a productive use waste of money.

Please, I am sure since the genes were first discovered others have figured out how to test them. Maybe Myriad should come up with ways to test for some of the other myriad of genes out there? (Or was that a really bad play on words?)

Victory in the Supreme Court

I have always wondered how Myriad Genetics was able to patent the two BRCA genes. I always thought it was a little funny because they are essentially a body part. Now the Supreme Court has agreed (9-0) that genes cannot be patented as they are naturally occurring.

Its about time.

Patents are awarded for inventions and new ways of making things. So I never understood how Myriad Genetics could own the genes. They had the market cornered on the BRCA tests and charging $3300 for the test. Even though most insurance companies pay for it, this overcharge is just another way that insurance costs are paying for vastly inflated prices.

This will also impact the biotech industry as they develop new gene sequencing techniques and it should open up genomics as researchers don't have to worry about infringing on another's patented gene.

This has been a long awaited decision that received very little press. It did make the front page of the newspaper in biotech happy Boston but I couldn't find it on CNN.

I call this progress and can actually agree with the Supreme Court on this decision.