Addressing the issue of gene patents from a libertarian, egalitarian and prioritarian perspective helps to illustrate the insights, as well as the limitations, of a philosophical analysis of intellectual property rights. In addition to the weight we should accord to the values of liberty and equality, complex empirical and legal issues arise in the context of these debates, issues that philosophers may not be well suited to address. A defense of a pluralistic prioritarian theory of justice allows us to take the complexities seriously. We can begin to make some progress in terms of determining how stringent the duty to mitigate genetic disadvantage is. Unlike libertarianism, pluralistic prioritarianism provides us with an account of justice that allows us to take seriously the duty to mitigate genetic inequalities. Unlike egalitarianism, pluralistic prioritarianism allows us to balance the duty to mitigate genetic disadvantage with other competing demands of justice. Pluralistic prioritarianism does not require us to take the insular view that mitigating genetic disadvantage is the only requirement of justice. This is an important insight given the facts of pervasive disadvantage, scarcity and the important role environment plays in the development of disease and disadvantage.