[anpk]

Does that mean people can't fast without violating the patent?

How is that going to be enforced especially considering fasting is part of Islam, Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism?

[nothrabannosir]

Somewhere in my innocent heart flickers the hope that patenting fasting wouldn't be possible even in a parallel universe where it's not part of Islam, Hinduism, Jainism or Buddhism...

[kpil]

...or Judaism and Christianity ?

[hayavuk]

> Does that mean people can't fast without violating the patent?

From the language, it would suggest that you'd have to administer this as a treatment for diabetes. And it's a very specific form of fasting, not fasting in general.

[iplaw]

I really wish more people knew how to read a patent. These knee-jerk (incorrect) reactions only serve to generate hysteria.

[jasonkostempski]

If I'm not mistaken, you can make/do a patented thing as an individual all you want, you just can't commercialize it.

[hanginghyena]

That seems very anti-competitive. So basically, if fasting is a free treatment for diabetes, you can't promote it without paying these guys a royalty? Boooooo

[ThrustVectoring]

You can probably promote it and they won't care. They will care if you run a thing that you charge health insurance companies for.

[hanginghyena]

Right but that's where this gets ridiculous.

Telling a patient to fast is basically a clinical practice. Almost like checking blood pressure. No actual supplies needed, just behavioral counseling.

By the same logic, could I patent checking blood pressure?

[hayavuk]

Isn't that generally applicable to patents?

[intrasight]

You are still infringing, but nobody is going to come after you unless you are doing commercial damage.

[intrasight]

At least in USA. See http://www.iusmentis.com/patents/crashcourse/rights/