US President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair caused a stir in many circles, including the stock market, when they proposed that information about the human genetic code should be in the public domain. Ultimately, they hope to make even more billions by developing and marketing products and procedures based on what they discover. To do that, they apply for patents on what they have discovered.
Patents eventually expire, and when they do, the information becomes public knowledge.
While we may find the concept distasteful, surely these companies have the right to expect a return on their enormous investments. Just as surely, every human being has the right to expect that knowledge this fundamental will be available to increase our understanding of ourselves. The human genome is the property of all humanity. It should be freely available immediately. The exisitng rules about patents are sufficient.