The European Patent Office outlines a fragile ethical frontier
In September 2024, the European Patent Office (EPO) refused a patent for human-pig chimeras on the basis of the ethical rules governing patentability in biotechnology. By invoking the protection of “human dignity”, the EPO is drawing a sometimes fluctuating line between innovation and respect for fundamental values. This decision sets a – perhaps fragile – precedent for inventions affecting human identity, and highlights the complexity of an ethical framework in the era of unbridled biotechnology.
