Lead Plaintiffs & Supreme Court Last Week: Genes Belong To No One

PLAINSBORO, N.J., June 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, June 13, 2013, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that human genes isolated from the body can't be patented.  The decision, penned by Justice Clarence Thomas, was a victory for doctors, patients and geneticists who argued that such patents curtail research and limit the practice of medicine.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130619/NE35204 )

A lead plaintiff in the case, Ellen Matloff, director of Cancer Genetic Counseling at Yale Cancer Center, will be in New York City on Thursday, June 20, 2013, to present new genetic research at an invitation-only event jointly hosted by OncLive® and Targeted Healthcare Communications.

Matloff's latest study is titled: "Changes in Specialists' Perspectives on Cancer Genetic Testing, Prophylactic Surgery and Insurance Discrimination: Then and Now."  The new research updates a 1998 study of cancer genetics specialists, measuring changes in perception, prevention and protocols among point-of-care genetic counselors.

The Angelina Jolie Debate:  What the Experts Would Do

Last month, actress and director Angelina Jolie made international headlines by announcing she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy.  Matloff's recent study puts a finer point on the BRCA gene testing that led to Jolie's decision.  Genetic counselors—experts in the field—answer the question: "What would YOU have done?"

Among Matloff's latest findings, greater than half (58.3%) of cancer genetic specialists would now opt to have healthy breasts removed if tests for a deleterious BRCA mutation were positive at age 35, versus only a quarter (24.5%) of respondents from 1998—more than double.

Matloff's research was funded by a $150,000 unrestricted grant from Plainsboro-based Michael J. Hennessey Associates, Inc. (MJH), parent company of OncLive and Targeted Healthcare Communications.

MJH Chairman Mike Hennessey said, "When it comes to cancer and information, there is no controversy—more is more.  We're very proud to support this research."

Credentialed Media Invited on June 20, 2013

Matloff is available for interviews prior to her presentation tomorrow in New York City, and credentialed media only are invited to attend (space is limited) the lunch and learn event:

Thursday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Westin New York Grand Central
The Ambassador Room
212 East 42nd Street
New York, New York  10017

To reserve a spot at Ellen Matloff’s June 20 research presentation or to arrange an interview in advance, contact Jack Horner at 412-600-2295 or [email protected].

About OncLive^®

OncLive.com is the official website for MJH & Associates' Oncology Specialty Group, which publishes Oncology & Biotech News, OncologyLive, Oncology Nursing News, and Contemporary Oncology. The mission of OncLive^® and its family of publications is to provide oncology professionals with the resources and information they need in order to provide the best care for their patients. The Oncology Specialty Group is a leading provider of health care publishing, research and education. To learn more, please visit www.OncLive.com.

About Targeted Healthcare Communications

Targeted Healthcare Communications publishes the International Journal for Targeted Therapies, Targeted Therapy News, and Oncology Fellows.  The company offers web resources for physicians and other health care providers focused on molecular biology, expert opinions, and mechanisms of action.  Through the company's website, it provides content about next-generation cancer therapies and their molecular targets.  Targeted Healthcare Communications is a division of MJH & Associates, headquartered in Plainsboro, NJ.  For more information, visit www.TargetedHC.com.

SOURCE OncLive; Targeted Healthcare Communications