Re: Patenting indigenous peoples' cells (was: Wow!)

On Wed, 8 Jul 1998, Shelly Warwick <swarwick[_at_]sprynet.com> wrote:
>
> I guess my point wasn't clear. I don't believe that factors which
> appear naturally in humans should be the subject of patent.
> However, if the patent office feels such patents are appropriate,
> I feel the person whose body had the characteristic is as much
> entitled to the reward as the discoverer. For instance if a
> mining expert walks across my property and recognizes signs of a
> rich gold vein his recognition of the naturally ocurring mineral
> does not make it his because it is on my property. So why should
> someone who recognizes the value of someone else's cells be able
> to profit.

But if the expert goes up to you and says, "nice property, how about selling?" and you reach a price agreement without his telling you about the gold, the deal doesn't fail. In this case, caveat vendor. Maybe you can write an opera or four about having lost the gold.

• Vance R. Koven * phone: 617-482-3852 *
• attorney at law * fax: 617-482-4972 *
• 20 Park Plaza Ste. 520 * net: vrkoven[_at_]world.std.com *
• Boston, MA 02116 * *

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