At a hastily called news conference, a spokesperson for Myriad Genetics, the company that holds the valuable patent for detecting susceptibility to breast cancer, has denied that the company secretly paid Angelina Jolie five million dollars to go public with her mastectomy as a way of indirectly promoting its products.
Myriad Genetics, located in Salt Lake City, UT, owns the patent for two proteins, BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 that when mutated can lead to an increased risk for breast cancer. The genes were identified in federally funded research at U.C. Berkeley in 1990. The winner in an intense effort to clone the genes was a consortium including the University of Utah and Myriad Genetics. Myriad patented the genes.
Myriad produces a proprietary test kit, BRCAnalysis, that tests for mutations in the BRCA genes. The test kit sells for $3,000. The company has annual revenues of $500 million. Stock in Myriad has skyrocketed following Jolie's announcement of her mastectomy and her discussion in a New York Times article of the place that genetic testing played in her decision.
"Angelina Jolie's heart-wrenching decision to undergo preventative double-mastectomy was in no way related to the business of Myriad Genetics other than that Myriad produces the test kit Jolie's physicians used to determine her risk," the spokesperson stated. "For anyone to suggest otherwise is libelous and potentially actionable in a court of law. Myriad Genetics extends its heartfelt sympathy to Ms. Jolie and her family."
Myriad Genetics has been the focus of court actions regarding its business practices. The cost of the genetic testing places that valuable assessment tool out of the financial reach of many women. Recent investigations into pricing of medical procedures in different locations have shown that hospitals and clinics charge clients widely varying fees for the BRCA test. Often the extra charge is paid for by the government, so laboratories and providers end up benefiting monetarily at the expense of American taxpayers. The Myriad spokesperson denied any allegations of financial impropriety when encountered at the press conference.
