The Von Hügel Institute (St. Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge) will host an international conference, “Patents on Life: Through the Lenses of Law, Religious Faith and Social Justice,” on Sept. 4-5, 2015.
“Patents are monopoly ownerships for commercial exploitation and can also apply to living matter, from genes to plants and seeds, microorganisms to animals.
- Should control of living matter be in the hands of private corporations?
- Are patents on seeds defensible in developing countries?
- Should information on the human genome be privatised?
- Who should decide when a patent should be forbidden on grounds of immorality?
This unique interdisciplinary conference will address these and other related ethical questions, and features top Vatican officials, academics, lawyers, industry professionals, theologians and representatives of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.”
