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Old 03-11-2009, 07:10 PM  
gideongallery
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,082
Quote:
Originally Posted by pocketkangaroo View Post
Assuming you got rid of patents altogether, the initial drug would have never been created and this scenario would be moot.

You seem to feel that drug companies pump billions into creating new drugs for fun.
they would not be creating it for fun
but for the x years of monopoly profits as the next competitive version goes thru the testing cycle.

of course the R&D cost would be significantly smaller since you would not have to re-invent the wheel so to speak to get the new wonder drug, just focus on making the small but significant improvement over the previous version.

competition would spur innovation, safety standards would create the barrier to entry, and allow monopoly profits for the term of testing. Drug companies would have a profit motivation to extend testing rather than shorten it.
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