a patent application

Cheshire Cat, all-knowing tree-cat...looking down, seeing what? knowing what?

Lactation consultants might be interested in a patent application owned by Medela. It's called "Method of assessing breastfeeding," patent application 20080108882. It's about a "method of assessing the health of a breastfeeding relationship." I didn't know that assessments are something you could patent. I have this vision of various LCs patenting their method of assessment. Heaven forbid, you use someone's patented assessment without paying a fee. In this case the fee will go to Medela and maybe the inventor will get some bucks for it (Catherine Peta Garbin). Reminds me of Monsanto and the use of their gmo seeds. Everything on this earth is ownable (a word??). Of course one has to have the money to file for patents and pay their yearly fees. So of course that lets me off the hook. I'll just have to invent my own assessment in my head and never talk about it because someone might patent my idea. I envision court cases where LCs will be accused of using the Medela assessment without paying their fees. Or what about the possibility of the infant formula industry getting into patenting of breastfeeding assessment? I could just see Nestle owning patents on breastfeeding assessment. I can also envision companies accusing LC's of using their patented assessments without paying for it. How to make lawyers happy and wealthy and corporations all-powerful! Don't worry, be happy.....

Copyright 2009 Valerie W. McClain