Contact: Suzanne L. Ward, Georgia Right to Life, 770-339-6880

NORCROSS, Ga., June 14, 2013 /Standard Newswire/ -- Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) President Dan Becker praised Thursday's U. S. Supreme Court's unanimous ruling that human genes cannot be patented. He added that it should send a wakeup call to Georgia lawmakers to approve comprehensive biotechnology legislation.

"Biotechnology is charging full steam ahead on many fronts," Becker said. "Much of that research is beneficial, while some is potentially dangerous and unethical. The nation's high court has solved one key problem: human beings are not a commodity and their genes are not commercial property to be bought and sold."

Noting that it's critical to establish broad ethical guidelines for all biotech research, Becker urged the Georgia Legislature to approve the Ethical Treatment of Human Embryos Act, HB 481.

Submitted earlier this year, the bill is designed to promote cutting edge biotechnological research, while preventing many of the most unethical and dangerous practices.

The Supreme Court case involved Utah-based Myriad Genetics which had been granted patents on two genes whose mutations are linked to an increased hereditary risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

The genes are used to test women to determine if they have the potential to develop those types of cancer.

In the opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas said "Myriad did not create anything," because the genes are naturally occurring.

"Preventing companies from owning genes is a great step forward," Becker said. "But there are a host of other issues that need to be addressed here in Georgia."

Becker said HB 481 will be brought up again in the 2014 legislative session.

Georgia Right to Life promotes respect and effective legal protection for all innocent human life from earliest biological beginning through natural death. GRTL is one of a number of organizations that have adopted Personhood as the most effective pro-life strategy for the 21st century.