Inthisriveting,behind-the-scenescourtroomdrama,abrilliantlegalteambattlescorporategreedandgovernmentoverreachforourfundamentalrighttocontrolourgenes.WhenattorneyChrisHansenlearnedthattheU.S.governmentwasissuingpatentsforhumangenestobiotechcompanies,hisfirstthoughtwas,Howcanacorporationownwhatmakesuswhoweare?Thenhediscoveredthatwomenwerebeingchargedexorbitantfeestotestforhereditarybreastandovariancancers,teststheydesperatelyneeded--allbecauseMyriadGeneticshadpatentedthefamousBRCAgenes.Sohesuedthem.JorgeL.Contreras,oneofthenation’sforemostauthoritiesonhumangeneticslaw,hasdevotedyearstoinvestigatingthegroundbreakingcivilrightscaseknownasAMPv.Myriad.InTheGenomeDefenseContrerasgivesustheviewfrominsideasHansenandhisteamofACLUlawyers,alongwithacommittedgroupofactivists,scientists,andphysicians,taketheirone-in-a-millioncaseallthewaytotheU.S.SupremeCourt.Contrerasinterviewedmorethanahundredkeyplayersinvolvedinallaspectsofthecase--fromjudgesandpolicymakerstoethicistsandgeneticcounselors,aswellascancersurvivorsandthosewhoseliveswouldbeimpactedbythedecision--expertlyweavingtogethertheirstoriesintoafascinatingnarrativeofthispivotalmomentinhistory.TheGenomeDefenseisapowerfulandcompellingstoryabouthowsocietymustbalancescientificdiscoverywithcorporateprofitsandtherightsofallpeople.
