Munich (Reuters) – the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich has granted again a patent on the human gene Greenpeace after details of the environmental organisation, which is a trigger for breast cancer. It went to the US firm myriad, have already received a controversial in Europe, similar patent in the spring, Greenpeace was announced by on Friday in Hamburg. “The European Patent Office intends to enforce the patenting of human genes against all criticism of politics and society”, expert Christoph then criticized discriminated. An opinion of the authority was initially not going to get. The European Parliament decided on October 4, against the patent issued in the spring to protest, said then. Nevertheless the EPO have given now the patent EP 705 902, go even further than the previous one. “Instead of to take into account the appeals and political decisions to be seen, the elite verschachern bureaucrats patents on genes from human, animal and plant remains.” Greenpeace called on the Parliament to prohibit patents on living organisms and their genes and to insert objections against the two patents such as the European Parliament. The affected BRCA1 gene is one of two breast cancer genes, which plays a central role in certain cases of breast cancer according to the. The first patent EP 0705 903 on 23 May this year therefore refers to the mutated gene, which is important for the diagnosis of the disease. The new patent includes the gene in his healthy variant allows any therapies to develop be. The gene is also suspected, to work with prostate and colon cancer. Although myriad had not research on these diseases according to the patent specification, the comprehensive patent rights also apply to this function of the gene, said Greenpeace. “Other scientists and companies may conduct research on the functions and exploiting the results, if myriad agrees and has received royalties”, then explained. Therefore, also human geneticist, German Medical Association, health insurance, the Institut Curie in Paris and the French Ministry of health other than Greenpeace protested against the patenting of the gene. (oli)