ABSTRACT
O presente artigo discute aspectos éticos, científicos e jurídicos sobre o patenteamento de genes humanos,partindo de um contexto histórico sobre propriedade intelectual de seres vivos e passando pela decisão da Suprema Corte dos EUA relativa ao caso Myriad Genetics, conflito em torno da patente dos genes BRCA1e BRCA2, relacionados ao câncer de mama e de ovário. Além disso, o artigo aborda diplomas normativos sobre o assunto, considerando tanto a legislação brasileira quanto a internacional. Por fim, contrapõe posições distintas sobre patente de genes humanos, adotando posicionamento crítico que o assunto merece...
This article discusses ethical, scientific and legal aspects of the patenting of human genes, startingfrom a historical context of intellectual property of living beings and passing through the decision ofthe US Supreme Court in Myriad Genetics case, conflict over patent of the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2,related to breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Moreover, the article discusses regulatory instrumentson the subject, considering both the Brazilian and international legislation. Finally, it contrastsdifferent positions on patent of human genes, adopting critical position that this matter deserves...
Este artículo aborda los aspectos éticos, científicos y legales de las patentes de genes humanos, a partir de uncontexto histórico de la propiedad intelectual de los seres vivos y pasando por la decisión de la Corte Suprema deEstados Unidos en el caso Myriad Genetics, el conflicto sobre patentes de los genes BRCA1 y BRCA2 relacionadoscon el cáncer de mama y cáncer de ovario. Además, el artículo analiza los instrumentos normativos sobre eltema, teniendo en cuenta tanto la legislación brasileña como internacional. Por último, contrasta diferentesposiciones sobre las patentes de los genes humanos, y adopta una posición crítica que este asunto merece...
Subject(s)
Humans , Genetic Research , Genome, Human/genetics , Intellectual Property , Patents as Topic/statistics & numerical data , Patents as Topic/legislation & jurisprudence , Biotechnology , Brazil , Genes, BRCA1 , Supreme Court Decisions , United StatesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: A large increase in the number of Brazilian studies on psychiatric genetics has been observed in the 1970's since the first publications conducted by a group of researchers in Brazil. Here we reviewed the literature and evaluated the advantages and difficulties of psychiatric genetic studies in the Brazilian population. CONCLUSION: The Brazilian population is one of the most heterogeneous populations in the world, formed mainly by the admixture between European, African and Native American populations. Although the admixture process is not a particularity of the Brazilian population, much of the history and social development in Brazil underlies the ethnic melting pot we observe nowadays. Such ethnical heterogeneity of the Brazilian population obviously brings some problems when performing genetic studies. However, the Brazilian population offers a number of particular characteristics that are of major interest when genetic studies are carried out, such as the presence of isolated populations. Thus, differences in the genetic profile and in the exposure to environmental risks may result in different interactions and pathways to psychopathology.
OBJETIVO E MÉTODO: Desde a década de 70, quando os primeiros estudos em genética psiquiátrica conduzidos por um grupo de brasileiros foram publicados, o número de trabalhos realizados no Brasil vem aumentando consideravelmente. Através desta revisão, avaliamos as vantagens e as dificuldades da realização de pesquisas em psiquiatria genética na população brasileira. CONCLUSÃO: A população brasileira é uma das mais heterogêneas do mundo, formada principalmente pela combinação entre populações européia, africana e nativa americana. Apesar de a mistura entre raças não ser uma particularidade da população brasileira, a história e o desenvolvimento social no Brasil ocasionou uma grande miscigenação étnica, a qual é observada atualmente. Devido à heterogeneidade de suas origens, diversos problemas são levantados em estudos genéticos realizados no Brasil. Porém, a população brasileira oferece características particulares para desenvolvimento de pesquisas genéticas, como a presença de populações isoladas. Portanto, diferenças genéticas e exposição a riscos ambientais podem resultar em diferentes interações e caminhos para alterações psicopatológicas.
Subject(s)
Humans , Racial Groups , Genetic Research , Psychiatry , Brazil , Racial Groups/ethnology , Racial Groups/genetics , Genetic Variation , Genetics, Population , Mental Disorders/genetics , Research Support as TopicABSTRACT
With the advent of genomic research, a new category of risk has emerged-genetic risk-from which an individual cannot be separated. Among the outcomes of this model is a discussion on personal accountability, according to which an individual may both be exempted from events related to certain states of health ("blame it on the genes") or be blamed for those events ("transmitter of disease"). In addition, the search for genes to explain disease erases the line between what is normal and what is pathological, with a growing tendency towards considering individuals with no or very mild clinical manifestations as being "ill." The great emphasis on genomics may lead to both an exaggerated attention to genetics rather than social and environmental factors and to a reductionism that favors sociobiological explanations for human behavior. In addition, in this scenario, the right to information may paradoxically stimulate some to consume goods and services in order to prevent a hypothetical illness that could occur at some point in time as a result of genetic predisposition-goods and services that may not be available to everyone. It is essential that such issues be considered with the same urgency with which the genomic paradigm is being developed.