On Sun, 20 May 2001, Gordon Couger wrote:
> Where do you get the money for research and testing? We have a system designed
> to cost a fortune to get a drug approved. I agree that drugs developed with
> public money should be freely distributed. But that's not the way things work
> any more. There is still some plant breeding done that way but that is about the
> only thing the universities don't patent.
>> In article <3B0713A6.37650D42 at mail.ncifcrf.gov>, Dr. Artem Evdokimov says...
> >
> >At that time, the British (rightfully) considered that patenting
> >discoveries directly related to medicine is unethical. I wish this point
> >of view was more widespread ...
There are actually some really good advantages to patenting. Full
disclosure, rather than depending on secrecy to protect a process AND
patents expire after 20 years which means anyone can use the patented
process. Can anyone suggest a better alternative? Mike.
