美国最高法院裁定不能申请人类基因专利

    From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.
    这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。

    The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that businesses cannot control the rights to human genes in their natural state. Patients' rights groups are calling the decision a victory. The court, however, left room to protect the patent ownership rights on some other important biotechnology applications.
    美国最高法院近期裁定所有企业不能控制自然状态人类基因的权利。病人权利组织称该裁决是一大胜利。然而法院为保障其它一些重要生物技术应用的专利所有权留下了空间。

    The court's decision was in a case involving the biotechnology company Myriad Genetics. The company had identified human genes that increase a woman's risk for breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The company applied for and was given exclusive rights  over the use of those genes.
    这一裁决是针对涉及美国万基遗传生物技术公司的一起案件。该公司确定了增加妇女乳腺癌和卵巢癌风险的人类基因,该公司申请并获得了这些基因的专有使用权。

    Attorney Sandra Park works with the American Civil Liberties Union. She says the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been allowing patents on some DNA for 30 years.
    律师桑德拉·帕克(Sandra Park)就职于美国民权联盟。她表示30年来,美国专利商标局一直在批准一些DNA专利。

    "What was problematic about these patents was that Myriad was able to use those patents to stop other laboratories from providing genetic testing, even when those other laboratories were using different methods."
    “关于这些专利的问题在于,万基公司可以使用这些专利阻止其它实验室进行基因检测,即使这些实验室采用不同的检测方法。”

    Miss Park says that means that genetic testing for increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer cost more because of the lack of competition. And she says the gene patent prevented patients from getting a second medical opinion based on some other test.
    帕克小姐表示,这意味着由于缺乏竞争,针对罹患乳腺癌和卵巢癌风险增加的基因检测要花费更多。她还表示,基因专利妨碍病人获得基于其它测试的第二种治疗意见。

    But the Supreme Court has now rejected this type of patent, all nine justices agreed that because genes are products of nature, they can not be owned by one business.
    但最高法院现在否决了这种类型的专利。所有9名大法官一致同意,因为基因是自然产物,不能被任何公司拥有。

    Lisbeth Ceriani helped bring the case against Myriad. She is a breast cancer survivor who struggled to pay for Myriad's test.
    利斯贝思·切里亚尼(Lisbeth Ceriani)促成了这起针对万基的案件。她是一名乳腺癌幸存者,她费劲地支付了万基公司的检测费用。

    "Our genes are not being held hostage by a private corporation anymore. We have the right to know that our doctor can look at our own genes to see what information is there."
    她说,“我们的基因不再被一家私营公司所挟持。我们有权利知道,我们的医生可以查看我们的基因,看看那都有什么信息。”

    Health activists say the ruling will lower costs and improve testing for breast and ovarian cancer, and other conditions for which companies have gene patents.
    健康维权人士表示,这一裁决将会降低乳腺癌和卵巢癌以及被公司拥有基因专利的其它疾病的检测成本,并提高其检测技术。

    Myriad Genetics also created man made versions of the genes and patented those, too. These versions are called complimentary DNA  or cDNA. For example, cDNA is used to make insulin to treat people with diabetes.
    万基遗传公司还创造了人造基因并申请了专利。它们被称为互补DNA。例如,互补DNA被用于制造治疗糖尿病患者的胰岛素。

    The Supreme Court said patents on such man made genes are permitted because cDNA does not exist in nature.
    最高法院表示,这种人造基因专利是允许的,因为互补DNA在自然界并不存在。

    Jennifer Swize is a lawyer for Myriad Genetics.
    Jennifer Swize是万基遗传公司的律师。

    "To Myriad, the decision is a win. For all practical purposes, companies like Myriad use the cDNA claims to do their testing."
    她说,“对万基公司来说,该裁决是一种胜利。从实际用途来说,万基之类的公司是使用互补DNA权利进行他们的检测。”

    Myriad's stock price grows after the Supreme Court gave its ruling on June, 13th, this suggested that investors saw the decision as a good one for the biotechology industry.
    在最高法院于6月13日作出裁决后,万基公司的股票价格涨了。这表明,投资者视这一裁决为生物技术产业的一大利好。
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