I today found out that parts of your DNA are actually patented and that some corporations own the rights to these parts of your body. Certain genes, such as those which are key in diagnosing breast cancer, are patented and you'd need to go to a certain company who own the patents to have the tests done.
These companies do not always lease out the rights and so unless you have £2000 and the ability to get to their labs you're screwed.
More important perhaps is the idea that a corporation can own the intellectual rights to a part of your body. Various legal debates are in action at this time trying to make sense of the craziness.
“You can’t patent my DNA, any more than you can patent my right arm, or patent my blood,” said Jan A. Nowak, president of the Association for Molecular Pathology.
Rant over....Oh...and this is true, NOT an in-game article.
