Gut Symmetries: Propertising and Monetising FMT Caroline Wilson, Anura Consulting Ltd

Human microbiome = 10 to 100 trillion symbiotic microbes harboured by each person. Most of these microbes are bacteria and most reside in the gut (the gut biome).

About the gut biome It is only just becoming understood; It is important to the immune system and digestion; An individual’s gut biome is not stable: certain foods, alcohol and medications – particularly antibiotics – can reduce biome diversity.

FMT = faecal microbiota transplantation. The process of transferring a bacteria-rich stool from a healthy donor to a patient.

About FMT Growing research in this area (mostly U.S.), e.g. –Crohn’s disease; –Depression; –Diabetes; –MS; –Obesity; –Parkinson’s disease; Good efficacy in treating recurrent clostridium difficile colitis patients.

Regulating medical use of FMT Market authorisations (ethics and evidence); Standardisation of donations; Stool banks and ‘super donors’ – lessons from HeLa; Screening and medical risks; Faeces: a tissue or biological product (a drug)?; Relevant that faeces contains the donor’s DNA?

‘Consumer-led’ FMT Will this happen? FMT is currently used as a niche treatment…but… will it be seen as a weight-loss and ‘wellness’ quick-fix?

Legal & moral issues of consumer-led FMT Samples taken without permission, e.g.: –Property rights in discarded waste; –Property considerations in illicitly obtaining the samples; –Genetic privacy in DNA contained in samples; –HeLa cell line: money vs morals.

Legal & moral issues of consumer-led FMT Samples taken with permission, e.g.: –The Moore case and the Mo cell line; –Informed consent and contract; –Trade marks; –Publicity rights?; –Cultural rights?; –Copyright analogies: Rewarding effort in ‘curating’ a healthy gut biome?; Moral rights analogy – antibiotics etc.?

Gut Symmetries: Propertising and Monetising FMT Caroline Wilson, Anura Consulting Ltd