23andMe's designer baby patent

摘要

Notwithstanding its troubles with the US Food and Drug Administration (p. 1), direct-to-consumer genetics company 23andMe has been courting more controversy with the award in September of a 'designer baby' patent. This patent (US 8,543,339), entitled “Gamete donor selection based on genetic calculations” potentially offers a means for couples in fertility clinics to opt for traits in their offspring. It follows another controversial patent, awarded to 23andMe in 2012, for variants associated with susceptibility for Parkinson's disease ('Polymorphisms associated with Parkinson's disease'; US 8,187,811). The data for these US patents are generated from 23andMe's customer base. As the company attempts to navigate the ethical minefields related to its use of personal health information and patenting of data, a question surfaces, Is 23andMe doing research or business.