Body Corporate

Synopsis

Across the globe there is a major legal and scientific battle raging over whether we should allow individuals and corporations to patent genes. Some biotech companies say yes, claiming patents reward medical research and promote the investigation of life saving treatments. But should a company be able to charge whatever it likes to confirm a patient has a serious health condition, simply because it holds patent rights to a particular gene. In the United States, health activists took the company that held patent rights over a gene linked to breast cancer to court. The activists argued it was illegal to hold patents on naturally occurring mutant breast cancer genes. The judge agreed, and now the issue is set to be tested at the very top of the American legal system. In Australia, a similar court battle is looming.

Reporter Andrew Fowler travels to the United States and around Australia to hear from both sides in this high-stakes battle. He talks to the researchers, patent lawyers and families who have been forced to pay significant amounts of money to find out if they have genes linked to potentially life-threatening conditions. (43 minutes)

NB In addition to the broadcast programme, additional interviews are on the website, together with transcript of the programme and further reading.

Series

Four Corners, Series

Language

English

Country

Australia

Year of release

2010

Year of production

2010

Subjects

Medical sciences

Keywords

drugs; genetic disorders; genetic engineering; patents; pharmaceutical industry

Online availability

URI

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2010/s3000623.htm

Price

free

Delivery

Streamed

Credits

Contributor

Andrew Fowler

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 1 NTSC

Price

$295.00

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

45 minutes

Year

2012

Sponsor

Name

ABC Australia

Distributor

Name

Filmakers Library

Email

info@filmakers.com

Web

http://www.filmakers.com/ External site opens in new window

Phone

+1 212 808 4980

Fax

+1 212 808 4983

Address

124 East 40th Street
New York
NY 10016
USA

Notes

A well-established distributor of issue-oriented documentaries on social science and arts-related topics, made by American independents as well as filmmakers from all over the world. Sale on video or DVD.