

Monsanto and Myriad are hopeful that the nation's highest court


I. Myriad and Patenting the Human Genome



BRCA Genes




Oral arguments in the case will begin April 15.

II. Monsanto and Second Generation GMO Seed









III. Monsanto Case Takes Different Angle: Patent Exhaustion


Vernon H. Bowman


A date for the arguments has not been set.



Comments     Threshold


RE: Riduculous
By Trisped on 2/19/2013 5:21:52 PM , Rating: 2
The issue is not so much the gene its self, but the time and resources required to identify the link to cancer.

The researchers need a way to guarantee that they are compensated for their research. That being said, patents do not seem to be appropriate. They did not create the gene, they found it.

The genetically engineered crops is a different matter. If I understand correctly, Monsanto create the gene group which provides the desired properties (resistant to Roundup). What I do not understand is why Monsanto is suing Mr. Bowman. He paid for his first crop from Monsanto, and the second crop he paid for and received from a different supplier.

If anything, Monsanto should be suing the local grain elevator for distributing their product without their permission. Better yet, they should upgrade their contract to require growers to not sell to individuals who will resell it as seed. They could even make the contract similar to those used in open source projects, requiring any user (or in this case purchaser) of the original seeds or the results of the growth to acknowledge and accept the agreement.

RE: Riduculous
By tng on 2/19/2013 5:35:31 PM , Rating: 4
Well, Monsanto has a history of suing people who are less able to defend themselves thinking that an example needs to be set or maybe they are just mean. Suing a co-op or larger corporation is not what they like to do, corporations are more able to defend themselves.

RE: Riduculous
By tng on 2/19/2013 5:39:43 PM , Rating: 2
Yes there were resources used to research this, but if it was only the University of Utah involved, they would just publish. The problem is when private industry becomes involved there has to be a profit involved.

There are some good uses of government grants and this is one of them.

RE: Riduculous
By Hakuryu on 2/19/2013 6:07:04 PM , Rating: 5
Neighbor plants Monsanto, you don't, in a couple of years you get sued for having seed with Monsanto characteristics. This is how Monsanto operates; even being accused of cheaply selling seed to neigbors of people who refuse to buy their seed, so in a few years they must buy Monsanto or get sued after pollination does it work. Lots of good docs about this.

RE: Riduculous
By bah12 on 2/20/2013 12:04:39 PM , Rating: 2
Also check out the show Food Inc. interesting documentary about the food industry. Absolutely amazing how ruthlessly these guys protect their seed.

RE: Riduculous
By FaaR on 2/19/2013 7:09:10 PM , Rating: 3

It's not their crop when bees - whom have existed for millions of years - cross-pollinate regular crops with monsanto-patented pollen.

If this was to be taken to the extreme that shitpile companies like Monsanto want, they would eventually be able to tax every farmer for every harvest, in perpetuity, simply because GMO crops pollute existing, as well as wild strains of crops.

Imagine having to pay every god damn GMO corporation who ever released seeds with patented genes on the market. What a nightmare - for us. It's the ultimate wet dream of Monsanto executives.

RE: Riduculous


RE: Riduculous
Are your friends from India?


RE: Riduculous



RE: Riduculous
By GotThumbs on 2/20/2013 8:21:19 AM , Rating: 2
Yes, but I've got a patent pending for Bee's, so any farmer, land owner whose crop/flowers are pollinated by a Bee will owe me 5 cents each instance.

I should have about 10,000 cases filed in US courts by summers end.

(Sarcasm of course)

RE: Riduculous
By 91TTZ on 2/20/2013 3:44:56 PM , Rating: 3
The issue is not so much the gene its self, but the time and resources required to identify the link to cancer. The researchers need a way to guarantee that they are compensated for their research.


The thing about science is that discoveries should be public. If anything, the scientist who discovers something gets to put their name on it.

Can you imagine if someone patented the existence of Mars or Neptune? Or what about the atom? It took a lot of researching to discover these things.

