If a discovery is made about the correlation between a measurement of something NATURAL in the body, and a dosage of a drug that should be administered, or between the dosage that is administered, and the effect is has on the body, this is MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE. THIS IS SCIENCE. It is not a patentable thing, because doctors cannot dispossess themselves of this knowledge once being told it. They are always able to USE THE KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR HEAD when treating a patient.
Therefore, this development seems to me to be atrocious, as it represents the first step in patenting KNOWLEDGE of natural phenomena.
IP law wants to encourage creativity by giving exclusive monopoly rights in creations, but at the same time BALANCE it with giving the public the freest possible access to the results. This is now being attacked at every turn. MPAA, RIAA are lobbying for SOPA and PIPA. Copyright lengths are still being extended. And now, new forms of patents are being considered. If these come to pass, I am afraid for freedom in America -- we will get the great firewall of China -- and all because of IP.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111208/14521817014/mpaa-b...