VOA慢速英語:U.S. Supreme Court Rules That Human Genes Are Not Patentable

From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.

這里是美國之音慢速英語科技報道。

The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that businesses cannot control the rights to human genes in their natural state. Patients' rights groups are calling the decision a victory. The court, however, left room to protect the patent ownership rights on some other important biotechnology applications.

美國最高法院近期裁定所有企業(yè)不能控制自然狀態(tài)人類基因的權(quán)利。病人權(quán)利組織稱該裁決是一大勝利。然而法院為保障其它一些重要生物技術(shù)應(yīng)用的專利所有權(quán)留下了空間。

The court's decision was in a case involving the biotechnology company Myriad Genetics. The company had identified human genes that increase a woman's risk for breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The company applied for and was given exclusive rights over the use of those genes.

這一裁決是針對涉及美國萬基遺傳生物技術(shù)公司的一起案件。該公司確定了增加婦女乳腺癌和卵巢癌風(fēng)險的人類基因，該公司申請并獲得了這些基因的專有使用權(quán)。

Attorney Sandra Park works with the American Civil Liberties Union. She says the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been allowing patents on some DNA for 30 years.

律師桑德拉·帕克(Sandra Park)就職于美國民權(quán)聯(lián)盟。她表示30年來，美國專利商標(biāo)局一直在批準(zhǔn)一些DNA專利。

"What was problematic about these patents was that Myriad was able to use those patents to stop other laboratories from providing genetic testing, even when those other laboratories were using different methods."

“關(guān)于這些專利的問題在于，萬基公司可以使用這些專利阻止其它實驗室進(jìn)行基因檢測，即使這些實驗室采用不同的檢測方法。”

Miss Park says that means that genetic testing for increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer cost more because of the lack of competition. And she says the gene patent prevented patients from getting a second medical opinion based on some other test.

帕克小姐表示，這意味著由于缺乏競爭，針對罹患乳腺癌和卵巢癌風(fēng)險增加的基因檢測要花費(fèi)更多。她還表示，基因?qū)＠恋K病人獲得基于其它測試的第二種治療意見。

But the Supreme Court has now rejected this type of patent, all nine justices agreed that because genes are products of nature, they can not be owned by one business.

但最高法院現(xiàn)在否決了這種類型的專利。所有9名大法官一致同意，因為基因是自然產(chǎn)物，不能被任何公司擁有。

Lisbeth Ceriani helped bring the case against Myriad. She is a breast cancer survivor who struggled to pay for Myriad's test.

利斯貝思·切里亞尼(Lisbeth Ceriani)促成了這起針對萬基的案件。她是一名乳腺癌幸存者，她費(fèi)勁地支付了萬基公司的檢測費(fèi)用。

"Our genes are not being held hostage by a private corporation anymore. We have the right to know that our doctor can look at our own genes to see what information is there."

她說，“我們的基因不再被一家私營公司所挾持。我們有權(quán)利知道，我們的醫(yī)生可以查看我們的基因，看看那都有什么信息。”

Health activists say the ruling will lower costs and improve testing for breast and ovarian cancer, and other conditions for which companies have gene patents.

健康維權(quán)人士表示，這一裁決將會降低乳腺癌和卵巢癌以及被公司擁有基因?qū)＠钠渌膊〉臋z測成本，并提高其檢測技術(shù)。

Myriad Genetics also created man made versions of the genes and patented those, too. These versions are called complimentary DNA or cDNA. For example, cDNA is used to make insulin to treat people with diabetes.

萬基遺傳公司還創(chuàng)造了人造基因并申請了專利。它們被稱為互補(bǔ)DNA。例如，互補(bǔ)DNA被用于制造治療糖尿病患者的胰島素。

The Supreme Court said patents on such man made genes are permitted because cDNA does not exist in nature.

最高法院表示，這種人造基因?qū)＠窃试S的，因為互補(bǔ)DNA在自然界并不存在。

Jennifer Swize is a lawyer for Myriad Genetics.

Jennifer Swize是萬基遺傳公司的律師。

"To Myriad, the decision is a win. For all practical purposes, companies like Myriad use the cDNA claims to do their testing."

她說，“對萬基公司來說，該裁決是一種勝利。從實際用途來說，萬基之類的公司是使用互補(bǔ)DNA權(quán)利進(jìn)行他們的檢測。”

Myriad's stock price grows after the Supreme Court gave its ruling on June, 13th, this suggested that investors saw the decision as a good one for the biotechology industry.

在最高法院于6月13日作出裁決后，萬基公司的股票價格漲了。這表明，投資者視這一裁決為生物技術(shù)產(chǎn)業(yè)的一大利好。