[csallen]

I agree. The universe isn't so perfect a place that we can consistently count on all-or-nothing strategies. Sometimes we have to get a little messy to devise a working system. Drug research is a great example of an industry where patents really are necessary to promote the progress of science.

[ekianjo]

> Drug research is a great example of an industry where patents really are necessary to promote the progress of science.

It's too easy to say it this way. Any data to show us why the case of the pharma is so different from others ? The costs involved in the pharm industry depend heavily on: - government regulation - expected returns

It's not evolving in any kind of "free market" at all. It's a very poor example to use to justify patents.

[csallen]

Good point, enough reform in this area may make patents totally unnecessary. I shouldn't have called it a good example without knowing more about it. However, my intuition is that there could exist a situation or industry in which patents are justified. We should be careful not to dismiss them wholesale, and instead should only dismiss them in areas where we can find superior alternatives.

[ktizo]

Some drug researchers might disagree.

Open Source Drug Discovery - http://www.osdd.net/

Research article on PLoS; "A Kernel for Open Source Drug Discovery in Tropical Diseases" - http://www.plosntds.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjourn...