Dr. Palombi's work is a comprehensive examination of the law surrounding the complex social and scientific issue of gene patents. He delves into not only the current practice, and its legal and policy justifications, but the entire history of the law surrounding patents on life-forms and natural products. He tears apart the practice, based on his detailed legal analysis, showing that it is not only illogical, but unlawful. In particular, he decimates the myth that cDNA is somehow something "new" or "inventive," and illustrates how the existing case law cannot seriously support the patenting of supposedly "isolated and purified" genes. His legal arguments ought to support current efforts to overturn the practice, either through legislative action, or through lawsuits like that recently brought against Myriad, Inc., for its patent on the BRCA1 and 2 "breast cancer" genes. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the debate, as well as those whose lives might very well depend on the debate, including anyone with genetic predispositions to diseases, or with monogenic genetic diseases which have or may already be patented.