Whose gene is it now?

A study reported in the latest issue of journal Science, reveals that more than 4,000 genes, or 20 percent of the almost 24,000 human genes, have been claimed in U.S. patents. 63 percent of patents are assigned to private firms and 28 percent to universities. In the U.S. patent system, human DNA is treated like other natural chemical products. Genes are valuable research tools, useful in diagnostic tests or to discover and produce new drugs.