Biotech giants demand a high price for saving the planet

The Independent by Geoffrey Lean | Jun. 10, 2008 (News Report)

Giant biotech companies are privatising the world's protection against climate change by filing hundreds of monopoly patents on genes that help crops resist it, a new investigation has concluded.

The study - by the authoritative Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration (ETC Group), based in Ottawa, Canada - has found that nine firms have filed at least 532 patents around the world on about 55 different genes offering protection ... Full Story »

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by M. Simon - Oct. 1, 2008

Nothing in the world prevents private individuals from doing the research and giving it away and thus preventing patenting. If private companies do the research they expect to make a profit which encourages more research. Which was exactly the purpose of patent law. Had the companies not done the research we would be worse off than we are with the companies patenting the research results. After all the results will come off patent eventually and any one will have access. In the mean time there is charity. It always amazes me that as soon as the profit system produces extraordinary results the thieves are out in force.