Assignment
Please read the following article:
Historic CRISPR Patent Fight Primed To Become Head-To-Head Battle | Xconomy
This article combines many different aspects of the law, most obviously IP. However, it also touches on a very heated, specific area of IP that also veers sharply into ethical considerations...genetic modification. From genetically modified organisms in food, science has moved on to experiment on GMO animals (the FDA recently approved GMO salmon for consumption in the US food supply...and you probably won't even get to know if you are eating it!. Food lobbyists and companies such as Monsanto are working very hard to kill any legislation that would even allow "truth in labeling" of GMO food, much less question its safety.
Having considered all of that, we move into the topic of this particular paper, and that is genetic engineering (with patented protection) of the human genome. Some argue that it is the utmost in scientific advancement - we can eliminate the genes that cause diseases! Others argue that it goes too far - "designer babies" as the article discusses can become all the rage, with parents literally choosing eye color by allowing scientists to tweak genes!
Please research this topic, finding relevant sources online, enough to offer your informed opinion on the matter. That is, where do you fall on the spectrum of ideas regarding genetic modification of the human race?
While you can include medical and ethical arguments in your piece, be sure to discuss the legal implications as well since that is at the heart of the fight here.