A decade ago, US law said human genes were patentable -- which meant patent holders had the right to stop anyone from sequencing, testing or even looking at a patented gene. Troubled by the way this law both harmed patients and created a barrier to biomedical innovation, Tania Simoncelli and her colleagues at the ACLU challenged it. In this riveting talk, hear the story of how they took a case everybody told them they would lose all the way to the Supreme Court.

Tania Simoncelli: Should you be able to patent a human gene?

Should you be able to patent a human gene?

Challenging gene patents, ACLU turns a legal battle into a crusade for patients' rights, sparking a landmark Supreme Court victory.

In a historic ruling, the Supreme Court declares human genes cannot be patented, opening doors for biomedical innovation and patient care.

A landmark legal battle against human gene patents highlights the ethical frontier where civil liberties meet scientific innovation.