Bioethical ambition, political opportunity and the European governance of patenting: The case of human embryonic stem cell science

► Patenting is a key part of innovation governance because it harnesses the potential economic value of new knowledge. ► The patenting governance of hESC science has to respond to cultural values resistant to ownership of the human body. ► Bioethics has the political opportunity to shape a form of governance that can resolve cultural conflict over patenting. ► In Europe, patenting governance is complicated by the tensions between the governance systems of the EPO and the EU. ► The ability of bioethics to position itself as a patenting governance mechanism is strongly influenced by these tensions.