Against Patents in Pharmacueticals

Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz of Columbia University has written this succinct opinion in favor of a medical prize fund. This fund would provide incentive for research and development of drugs in the way patents are supposed to, but unlike patents, the social costs would be minimized.

The most important ideas that emerge from basic science have never been protected by patents and never should be. Most researchers are motivated by the desire to enhance understanding and help humankind. Of course money is needed, and governments must continue to provide money through research grants along with support for government research laboratories and research universities. The patent system would continue to play a part for applications for which no one offers a prize .

This reminds me of a previous post about genetic diseases being patented. This also supports the recent GAO report.