Blood-Test Patents Debated at High Court as Einstein Invoked

U.S. Supreme Court justices grappled with the reach of federal patent law, touching on both fire- building techniques and Albert Einstein’s discoveries during arguments over diagnostic medical tests. Today’s one-hour session, which centered on a dispute between Nestle SA’s Prometheus unit and the Mayo Clinic, produced few clear answers.

BusinessWeek, by Greg Stohr, 12/2011