[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/