Moral and ethical questions for patenting genetic material

30-11-2009

Dr. Michael Factor and Dr. Moshe Tritel

The use of embryonic stem cells to develop medical treatments is a controversial topic. Michael Factor and Moshe Tritel look at the situation in Israel.

The use of embryonic stem cells to develop medical treatments is a controversial topic. Michael Factor and Moshe Tritel look at the situation in Israel.

Embryonic stem cells are extracted from a blastocyt—a fertilised human ovule that is four or five days old. These stem cells can develop into different kinds of cells and are the subject of research that promises novel treatments, cures and even the prevention of diseases. However, the process of extracting the cells kills the embryo. This raises fundamental moral issues.

The Israel Patent Law 1967 does not discuss ordre public or morality. All technologies are patentable under the law, except for Section 7, which excludes from patentable subject matter:


Patentability, ethical considerations, Israel, stem cell research, human genome

WIPR