This book brings up the question in in the context of applying gene therapy:
Who owns these genes ? - is it the company that conducted the first successful
experiment on humans and patented it since then or the company that created the
enzyme for creation of such a gene or is it the human(s) who obviously
own their cells in their bodies - born to that/those patient(s) on
whom the gene therapy was conducted ?

Law and science. Crichton brings these together in a highly contentious situation - can a company own a part of a living human? The battles waged here are almost a prediction of things to come as the world delves deeper into gene therapy. It's a scary thought, but someone's gotta bring it up.

Were Michael Chrighton's earlier works really that much better or am I just getting more judgemental in my old age? Next had a few spots that grabbed my attention and raised a few interesting questions, but I didn't feel like it really held or flowed together as a whole story. Still, it's Michael Chrighton and I'm nowhere near the point where I would question if I am going to read something he writes.