Felicia Marie Knaul

Two events this week will cover global challenges to cancer care and the need for expanded access to care in low-and middle-income countries. Speakers at both events – a book launch tomorrow, June 18, and a community lecture on Wednesday, June 19 – include author and Director of the Harvard Global Equity Initiative Felicia Marie Knaul, HRH Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, Harvard School of Public Health Dean Dr. Julio Frenk, and SCCA Director of Breast Medical Oncology Dr. Julie Gralow.

Tomorrow, June 18, Felicia Marie Knaul will speak at the launch of her book “Beauty without the Breast.” The book is a personal testimony of life with cancer, an account of treatment received in Mexico and at SCCA, and a call to action for expanded access to care in low-and middle-income countries. The book includes forewords by Paul Farmer and Dr. Julie Gralow, and an epilogue by Dr. Julio Frenk. Tomorrow’s event will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) Arnold Building, Room M1 A303. The event will be hosted by SCCA, in partnership with the University of Washington, FHCRC, the Harvard Global Equity Initiative, and the Global Task Force on Expanded Access to Cancer Care and Control in Developing Countries.

A Jill Bennett Academic Community Lecture on Wednesday, June 19, titled “Closing the Cancer Divide: The Global Challenge” will take place at FHCRC’s Pelton Auditorium from noon to 1p.m. The lectureship pays tribute to Jill Bennett, who passed away at a young age from breast cancer, and was established to bring scholars from the fields of breast cancer care, research, and training to Seattle. This preview of the inaugural lectureship is open to the academic cancer community. Please RSVP to Katie Fitzmaurice at kfitzmau@seattlecca.org.

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Yesterday the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that human genes may not be patented. The case involved Myriad Genetics and the patents it held on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The patents gave Myriad exclusive access to these genes, including the diagnostic test that determined whether someone carried the mutated versions of these genes, which indicates a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.

Here’s a sampling of how the decision is being received in the research community and beyond, starting with the woman who first discovered the BRCA1 gene in 1990, Mary-Claire King:

Dr. Mary-Claire King

• “The Supreme Court ruling is splendid for patients, their families, their physicians, scientists and common sense.” Mary-Claire King, from the Seattle Times.
• KUOW’s Marcie Sillman spoke with Dr. King at length on Friday morning. The interview covers lots of territory and well worth a listen.
• NPR’s Ira Flatow interviews Dr. King about the ruling on Talk of the Nation’s Science Friday.
• NBC News gauges the reaction about the decision in the medical and research communities.
• The New York Times considers how the ruling will make testing more available for women.
• Yesterday, Dr. Colin Pritchard, who oversees UW-OncoPlex, reflected on the decision and what it means for cancer research and patients in this SCCABlog post.

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Today the Supreme Court unanimously decided to invalidate patents for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.  This decision is a victory for cancer patients and their families, particularly for patients with breast or ovarian cancer.  Testing for mutations in these genes can save lives, but under previous patent law clinical testing in the U.S. could only be performed by one company.  This monopoly led to high costs, which prevented some patients from being tested, and inhibited scientific progress, medical education and innovation. As of today, BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene testing is open to all labs in the U.S. We are very optimistic that market competition will rapidly drive down test costs, expand access to testing, make testing more comprehensive, and further scientific discovery.

Genes are the blueprint of all living things, and are fundamentally anatomy or “products of nature” in the same way as our heart, liver, or brain.  Through its landmark decision the Supreme Court has recognized that genes are part of our bodies, and our bodies should not be owned by private companies.

Dr. Colin Pritchard is Assistant Professor, Laboratory Medicine and Associate Director of The Clinical Molecular Genetics Laboratory at University Washington Medicine. He also oversees UW-OncoPlex, a multi-marker cancer-sequencing test. 

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