Genetic Research and the Law

Our understanding of human genetics is advancing at a rapid and unprecedented rate, but the law is struggling to keep pace. Who owns our genes? Can human genes which exist in all of us be subject to a commercial patent? What rights should insurance companies have to know about our genetic data? Should doctors have the right to tell a patient’s relative about an inherited familial genetic disease against their wishes? These issues and more are weighing on the minds of legal experts and clinical geneticists, but the general clinician who sees patients on a daily basis needs guidance. This chapter may not shine a bright light on these complex questions but attempts to at least expose their existence.