I noticed this article in the Independent yesterday - the European Patent Office ruled in favour of giving an American company Myriad Genetics, intellectual property (and therefore cash in form of royalties for each test which may well deter doctors from using the test routinely) in its test for some of the genetic mutations that can lead to breast cancer.
I can’t remember whether we are allowed to post links on this forum but if you go to www dot independent dot co dot uk and search under BRCA1 the article, by Steve Connor (science editor) will come up.
It has been a long running dispute, but it does seem so cynical to me that women may lose their lives, not really in the spirit of the Hippocratic oath at all. I suppose scientific companies haven’t taken the Hippocratic oath…
With no family history of cancer I am an unlikely carrier of BRCA and yet because of my age and having 2 primary diagnoses within a week of each other (right breast, then left breast, age 33) they felt that I could be a carrier of BRCA and indeed I am.
Not sure that I would have been offered the test if there was a fee per patient but that depends on the fee I expect.
my bigger fear is the limitations it places on genetic work that could be perceived to be derivative.
How on earth can mankind seriously progress when our laws are like this in the areas of research!
I haven’t got around to having a test but my paternal grandmother died of breast cancer aged 28 and I have a daughter, so we really ought to get our act together.
I still need to convince my Mum to have the test for the benefit of her sis, mum and my cousin and I’m not happy that she may need to get a move on too as since I told her my genetic status she’s just shut down on the subject, if I even hint at it she changes the subject so I think I’m going to have to tell my aunt against my mums wishes. I hate these kind of discussions and the extra pressure this brings isn’t welcome.