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CHAPEL HILL, NC – Dr. Jim Evans is an expert in gene patenting and genetics policy who has led a program to educate federal judges about the intricacies of genetics and genetic policy as well as chairing a Federal task force that looked into the issue of gene patents. That task force, part of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health and Society, recently made formal recommendations to the Secretary of HHS regarding the role of gene patents in medical diagnostics. Dr. Evans says the March 29, 2010 ruling by United States District Court Judge Robert Sweet that invalidated seven patents related to the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes “came as a surprise to everybody. It’s really quite unusual for plaintiffs to get a summary judgment.”

Evans, who has advised the secretary of Health and Human Services, is a medical geneticist and holds medical and doctoral degrees. He is director of Clinical Cancer Genetics and is the Bryson Distinguished Chair of Human Genetics at UNC and a member of UNC Lineberger.

Watch video interview – part 1.
Watch video interview – part 2.