Gene-patents Quote by Rebecca Skloot
““many scientists have interfered with science in precisely the way courts always worried tissue donors might do. “It’s ironic,” she told me. “The Moore court’s concern was, if you give a person property rights in their tissues, it would slow down research because people might withhold access for money. But the Moore decision backfired—it just handed that commercial value to researchers.” According to Andrews and a dissenting California Supreme Court judge, the ruling didn’t prevent commercialization; it just took patients out of the equation and emboldened scientists to commodify tissues in increasing numbers. Andrews and many others have argued that this makes scientists less likely to share samples and results, which slows research; they also worry that it interferes with health-care delivery.””
About This Quote
The passage critiques legal decisions that grant property rights over human tissues, arguing that such commodification may hinder scientific collaboration and slow research progress.
In simple terms: Granting property rights to tissues can impede research.
Key Takeaway
Consider impacts of tissue commodification.
Themes
ethics
law
science policy
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
policy
ethical
When to use this quote
- research funding
- patient consent
- biobanking
Key Concepts
property rights
commercialization
Questions to Reflect On
- Should tissues be treated as private property?
- What safeguards balance profit and progress?
A Different Perspective
Legal frameworks can unintentionally restrict scientific sharing.
