The fight for our genes heads to court

Twenty percent of your body belongs to someone else.

Don't believe us? Check the U.S. Patent Office. Twenty percent of all human genes have been patented, mostly by private companies and research institutions. These patents are crippling the ability of scientists to study diseases and restricting patients from getting the information they need to make important medical decisions about their health.

This month, six breast cancer patients filed suit against Myriad Genetics, a company that owns both the patent on two genes that are associated with an increased risk for breast cancer and ovarian cancer and the patent on testing to measure those risks. Some of these women are suing because they can't afford the $3,000 fee Myriad charges to determine their risk for breast or ovarian cancer. Some of them are suing because, thanks to Myriad's patent, they can't get second opinions about whether they should have their breasts or ovaries removed - no one else is allowed to perform another test for them.

All of them are suing because they did not, and should not, expect to have...