Lawsuit attacks patent giving company control over genetic test for cancer risk

March 5, 2010

After receiving a diagnosis of aggressive breast cancer at age 43, Lisbeth Ceriani wanted to find out whether she had the BRCA gene mutation, which makes women much more likely to get breast and ovarian cancer. If she tested positive for the mutation, she decided, she would have her ovaries removed preemptively.

But Massachusetts, where Ceriani lives, is one of 24 states where Medicaid does not cover the $3,120 test, which is offered only by the Utah biotech company Myriad Genetics. Coordinator of a Boston au pair program where she does not get health insurance or earn enough to purchase it on her own, Ceriani said she could not afford the test. She is one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit claiming that Myriad’s exclusive right to conduct tests for the mutation is unconstitutional.

Read Article: The Washington Post.Com

Posted By: Phoenix DUI Attorney