Truth and utility are not factors

Australia has granted a patent for cloning to the disgraced South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk. This will protect the technique he used in experiments in which he had claimed to have cloned human embryos. Although Hwang had faked his results, he and his supporters have always insisted that his technique for cloning was workable. He applied for patents in 10 countries, but so far only Australia has granted one.

Although Hwang’s friends see this as a step towards vindication of his controversial work, Australian patent laws are less rigorous than many other countries. Australia only requires that an invention be new, inventive, fully described and adequately defined. It does not have to work and its supporting data need not be true. ~ Nature News, Oct 1

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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