[umanwizard]

Reading the article has convinced me that drug patents in particular are a great idea. Isn't it wonderful that we live in a world where futuristic new treatments like this can be developed?

Yes it's true that people can't get the drug now, but at least someday it might be available.

Without patents, who would you find to work for free developing something like this?

[miguelrochefort]

> Isn't it wonderful that we live in a world where futuristic new treatments like this can be developed?

This futuristic new treatment can no longer be developed or produced by ANYONE in the world, without the consent of this company. Before the patent, anyone could. Do you think that's not a problem?

We'll incentivize researchers the same way we'll do with musicians and writers in a post-copyright society. People who think this disease is important will crowdfund the research, and those who want to receive experimental and personalized treatment will pay for it.

How do you think we should incentivize things like environmental research? Is our knowledge about climate change patentable? What if someone found a cure?

[umanwizard]

> Before the patent, anyone could

Anyone could, but nobody did, or would have without either a profit motive or massive state funding.

> Do you think that's not a problem?

Well it’s certainly not the most ideal thing you can imagine, but I don’t see a better way in a capitalist society to incentivize medical research. Do you?

> People who think this disease is important will crowdfund the research

I’m not aware of any crowdfunding campaign that has raised hundreds of millions of dollars.

> How do you think we should incentivize things like environmental research?

It should be funded by the state

> What if someone found a cure?

That’d be awesome. We should pay them incredibly handsomely for their work.