h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The Mouse Genome Project is far better.

You are very mistaken when you say that the cures for genetic diseases are many years away. For single gene faults (which most genetic disorders are), as soon as you identify the gene, you can create a test for it in a very short time. Once you have the test, you can work with parents, and those with the gene can be offered "pre implantation diagnosis" using test tube babies.This can be done whene the egg is at the eight cell division. you extract one cell. You then only implant the eggs that are genetically clean of the disorder.
This is already being done in parts of america for certain diseases!

And over here too. British medical science has always benefitted from the Wellcome Trust who are the world's richest charity and have so much money to give away each year, they have trouble. I know - I used to try.

You used to have trouble giving money away? You're obviously trying to give it to the wrong people. If you'd like my bank account details just let me know, otherwise a cheque will suffice...

And failing that a Pole, a Slav or any other Middle European.

Oooh I have got something for you lot. Wait here...

Here is something that might interest all you Gnome watchers out there:-

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/genome

Thanks, Abi. I bookmarked the site. I read only a small part and already found two interesting facts a non-science person like myself could marvel at:

-The vast majority of DNA in the human genome - 97% - has no known function. *what could be possibly MAKE it do?*

-Our DNA is 98% identical to chimpanzees. *Hmmmm...group interaction and pecking order revealed*

I think I'll have a banana.

Or a cup of PG Tips...

Seems entirely logical to me. If you'd started off with a serious question, thread drift would have ensured that Gnomes came into it within a few posts...

Seeing as you started with the Gnomes, it's only natural things got a bit out of hand.

The concept of patenting a gene never ceases to amaze me...

26199

And what's the point in patenting a guy who pops out of a lamp

If 97% of our genetic code is useless, it must be written by Microsoft.

And as everyone knows, Microsoft is run by gnomes. So you see , it all really does come full circle.

hahaha....if microsoft wrote it, how long is it going to be before i have to shut down because of an illegal operation? where are my "ctrl" , "alt", and "delete' buttons?

when i said the cures were many years away, i meqant for the people who were already born, but if they keep fixing it that way, there wont be man peeps born with the disorders

Firstly, I'm sure I've heard someone complain that I couldn't find her [ctrl] button before - or it was something like that anyway.

Secondly, going back to the 97% of DNA not serving any purpose - I know quite a few body parts (well on mine, anyway) which don't serve any useful purpose either - see the Celibacy conversation.

*snickers*

I know I crash at least once every 24 hours and it takes me about 8 hours to reboot, during which time my mind experiences many logic errors. Heck, I experience logic errors ALL DAY.

Ctrl-alt-del is also known as alcohol.

Seriously (for once) I have no problems with research into DNA and the like, which is going to benefit mankind and help to eradicate illnesses and potential disabilities, but where I draw the line is in all this patenting of bits of life itself. I have this terrible feeling that one of these days I'll be sued by some big drugs company for breaching one of their patents, because I have some of their DNA in my body.

Patent law, like copyright law, is due for some major revisions in light of technological advances.

In addition to the absurdity of a company owning a person's DNA as you mention, there is the concern that the enforcement of the patent rights will actually grind medical research to a halt by making it too expensive. Thus the race by the US government to map much of the DNA themselves (or by funding research), because anything owned by the government is legally public domain and available for anyone to use, free of charge.

So, Shellers, if the US government has mapped some of your DNA, you may be an open target. Everyone could own a piece of you.