According to the article, a portion of his research focuses on lessening pain. The patenting of the peptide would probably be for pain-reduction application (big money in pain meds), rather than creating an orgasm pill.

You seriously don't think there would be money in an orgasm pill?

Isn't there an orgasm-by-wire already?

What does it mean to patent a peptide? I suppose that it doesn't mean that everyone has to pay him to get an orgasm. He didn't patent a process for making the peptide either. So perhaps it's the use of the peptide in other situations than a natural orgasm? If I discover a planet, can I patent the use of the planet?

> I suppose that it doesn't mean that everyone has to pay him to get an orgasm.

I laughed so hard after reading that and thinking of the implications of such a scenario. My gf asked my what happened; I told her someone has patented orgasm bliss. I think she believed me and seemed genuinely concerned about paying someone to get orgasm.

Girlfriend's never been to Vegas, has she?

It might well fail a challenge, like the patent on the BRCA2 cancer gene did.

You'll have a patent war on your hands with the Magratheans.

We'll have to see if/how he uses it. He could simply have patented it to prevent anyone else from doing so and abusing it.

If he publishes and doesn't file a patent, no one can.

Ah, I didn't know that. Though I suppose it makes sense.