The patent office questioned whether NIH actually knew everything about the genes and if the fragments were novel, useful and nonobvious. James Chubb, president of Triplex Pharmaceutical, said the ruling was good news for his company that uses unpatented genes in researching cancer medications. Healy sought to clarify that the NIH is not seeking patents to make money. A recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed doctors have developed a test that can identify defects in embryos that are just days old.
Researchers can remove a single cell from the very young embryo to look for cystic fibrosis.
Removal of a single cell from such a young embryo has no effect later, doctors emphasized. However, ethical questions loom. The technique is expected to be offered to couples as routine once it is established. The Park will be built on state land made available by the re-routing of the interstate. Sundlun said the park will be built by the year 2000.