European Advocate General critical of stem cell patents
Posted by Emma Kemp, on 11 March 2011
I expect many of you have already seen reports that the European Advocate General has taken a very restrictive view on patents for technologies that use human embyronic stem cells. This is the next installment in a long-running legal battle over a patent awarded to stem cell scientist Oliver Bruestle in 1999 and challenged by Greenpeace in 2004. Prof Bruestle and others are voicing serious concerns about the Advocate General’s postion (see news story at http://www.eurostemcell.org/story/european-advocate-general-critical-stem-cell-patents for example). Just wondered what Node readers think about all this?
The AG`s opinion is revolting. He said he will not consider the ethical, socio-economic, research context of the issue but will give a purely legal definition based on (secondary school biology). He did not distinguish between emrbyo sources (IVF, SCNT) just said everything that falls under the legal definition must be protected.