(The Supreme Court/ Wikipedia Commons)

The ruling is considered to be a huge victory for doctors and patients, who argued that patents on human genes would hinder scientific research. 

The Supreme Court decision is considered to be one of the most significant rulings in modern molecular medicine.

The ruling could potentially be a big problem for drug companies like Myriad Genetics Inc., which was a big player in the case. Myriad Genetics Inc. has patents related to two genes that can help predict a women’s chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer. 

From The Wall Street Journal: 

Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the court, said the genes Myriad isolated are products of nature, which aren't eligible for patents.

"Myriad did not create anything," Justice Thomas wrote in an 18-page opinion. "To be sure, it found an important and useful gene, but separating that gene from its surrounding genetic material is not an act of invention."

Even if a discovery is brilliant or groundbreaking, that doesn't necessarily mean it's patentable, the court said.

However, the ruling wasn't a complete loss for Myriad. The court said that DNA molecules synthesized in a laboratory were eligible for patent protection. Myriad's shares soared after the court's ruling.

From CNN:

Read the full story here.

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