Rhetoric and Ethics of the Ownership of Genetic Data

This was the Major Qualifying Project (MQP) that I completed to receive my B.S. from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

In the paper, I discussed the rhetorical and ethical aspects of cases like AMP v. Myriad Genetics, where a corporation (Myriad) patented a gene linked to breast and other forms of cancer and used it to monopolize the testing market for said gene. I also examined a potential breach of privacy by the genetic testing company BGI Group. Although it seems to be a simple legal question, the factors at play were complicated. Included in my paper were discussion of what the purpose of a patent is, how companies identify and isolate genes, what genes mean to people, and even a little bit about celebrity endorsement (part of what pushed concerns about Myriad to the mainstream was famed author Michael Crichton openly criticizing it). Navigating the intersections of biology, law, and culture proved tricky, but I did so successfully with careful research of the cases involved as well as several fruitful debates with my project advisor.