Patenting of Lifeforms
What is genetic engineering (GE)?
It is a brand new technology where a gene from a species is inserted into the genetic make-up of another species. For example, GE corn, a GE ingredient found in many foods, has been crossed with the gene of a bacterium to make the corn resistant to certain herbicides.
What is a patent?
It is a government grant that gives inventors exclusive rights, also known as intellectual property rights, to their invention. Patents were intended for inanimate objects and processes such as ink and printing, not for living organisms.
What does it mean to patent a lifeform?
The biotech industry's ability to genetically engineer a plant has allowed them to claim a living organism such as corn as a brand new invention. Corn has been around for thousands of years but this alteration has made companies like Monsanto sole owners of this variety of corn and has given them control of its distribution. Patents on seeds give multinationals the right to profit from the knowledge of generations of farmers who have bred those seeds.
What are some examples of the effects of patenting lifeforms?
Farmers around the world are being pressured to buy GE seeds. Lured by false promises of higher yields and increased profits, they often abandon their traditional seed varieties. By the time farmers discover the true cost of these patented seeds, which includes buying new ones every year because they are no longer allowed to save and store them (an old agricultural practice) farmers find themselves at the mercy of controlling corporations.
Myriad Genetics, a U.S. biotech firm, which holds a patent on a gene used to help identify the risk of breast cancer, has threatened to sue provincial governments that use the gene on tests without going through the company. Myriad offers the test for $3,800 CAD and wants to stop provincial governments from offering the same services at a much cheaper rate.
Genetically engineered crops have proven to be an enormous problem for farmers because they tend to contaminate regular crops and organic crops - this often happens because of wind and cross-pollination. More importantly, Canadian farmers have been found guilty of patent violation for having these accidental GE crops growing in their field because our outdated patent laws weren't conceived to deal with these exceptional situations. Biotech companies like Monsanto are aggressively pursuing farmers on this matter, setting up toll free lines and encouraging farmers to tell on each other should they notice "illegal" crops growing in their neighbours' fields.
Why should you oppose the patenting of lifeforms?
Canadians must challenge the biotech industry, which has claimed unlimited access to the world's genetic diversity for the purpose of converting it into private intellectual property. Our genetic heritage is not a commodity to be bought or sold. We must draw a line and protect our common good.
What is our government doing about this?
Unfortunately, nothing yet. Though it continues to introduce more GE products, the Canadian government has not made provisions for the negative consequences such as patents on life and is scrambling to update Canadian patent laws. Meanwhile, biotech companies are bypassing the government and solidifying their intellectual property rights through our court system using our outdated laws.
What can you do to stop the patenting of lifeforms?
Contact your Member of Parliament and tell him/her that you want him/her to introduce a private member's bill that will ban the patenting of all lifeforms.
