Deadly Monopolies: The Shocking Corporate Takeover of Life Itself

Deadly Monopolies examines how corporations have gained control over human genes, tissues, and other biological materials through patents and intellectual property laws. Washington documents the rise of "biocolonialism" and its impact on scientific research, medical care, and public health. The book traces the evolution of patent law and reveals how pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms have expanded their reach into living organisms and genetic sequences. Washington presents case studies of patients, researchers, and communities affected by corporate ownership of biological materials. Through interviews and investigation of court cases and corporate documents, the text follows the money trail behind modern medical research and development. The narrative moves from university laboratories to corporate boardrooms to remote villages as it maps the scope of this issue. This work raises fundamental questions about the commodification of human life and the balance between scientific progress and public good. It challenges readers to consider who should control the basic building blocks of life itself.

Readers describe this book as an investigative examination of corporate patenting of genes, medicines, and organisms. Multiple reviews note the depth of research and documentation, with one reader calling it "meticulously sourced with over 90 pages of references." Positive reviews highlight: - Clear explanations of complex medical/legal concepts - Reveals lesser-known cases of corporate biopiracy - Strong focus on impacts to developing nations Common criticisms: - Can be repetitive in making key points - Dense academic writing style - Some readers found the tone too alarmist Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (98 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (31 ratings) Several readers mentioned being shocked by specific examples, like the case of the Mo cell line and corporate ownership of human tissue samples. Multiple reviews noted the book changed their perspective on medical research and patents, though some felt the proposed solutions were impractical. One medical student reviewer called it "eye-opening but occasionally oversimplified in its criticism of the pharmaceutical industry."

Bad Medicine: How Corporate Greed and Medical Errors Are Killing America by James Steele and Donald Barlett. This investigation documents how pharmaceutical companies and healthcare corporations prioritize profits over patient care through pricing schemes and medical decisions.

The Truth About the Drug Companies by Marcia Angell. A former New England Journal of Medicine editor reveals the mechanisms through which pharmaceutical companies manipulate drug development, marketing, and pricing.

Body Bazaar: The Market for Human Tissue in the Biotechnology Age by Lori Andrews and Dorothy Nelkin. The authors examine the commercialization of human biological materials and the ethical implications of turning human tissue into corporate property.

The Great American Drug Deal by Peter Kolchinsky. This analysis explores how patent laws and pharmaceutical development processes create monopolies that impact drug accessibility and healthcare costs.

The $800 Million Pill by Merrill Goozner. The book traces the development of breakthrough medications to show how public funding and academic research get overshadowed by pharmaceutical company profits.

🧬 Author Harriet A. Washington previously won the National Book Critics Circle Award for her work "Medical Apartheid," which exposed the history of medical experimentation on African Americans. 🏢 The book reveals how more than 20% of the human genome was patented by corporations and research institutions before the Supreme Court's 2013 ruling against gene patents. 💊 One case study in the book details how a patent on a breast cancer gene (BRCA1) allowed Myriad Genetics to charge $3,000 for a test that cost only about $200 to perform. 🔬 The term "biocolonialism" is explored throughout the book, describing how corporations acquire and patent indigenous peoples' traditional medicines and genetic material without compensation. 🌍 Washington documents how pharmaceutical companies conduct 33% of their clinical trials in developing countries, where regulations are often less stringent and participants may be more vulnerable.