Seminar paper from the year 2008 in the subject Ethics, grade: B, The George Washington University, 7 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: This paper proposes to ban patents on human genes. The patent system protects the investment of researchers by allowing them to own genes they discover. This, however, results in a lot of ethical problems such as impeding innovations and potential research, disadvantaging low-income consumers, and owning a naturally-existing part rather than a creation. In spite of various objections to those issues, the arguments will be defended with logic and evidence. The paper concludes the arguments with final thoughts about gene patenting and its drawbacks.