[betterunix]

I would support such a system. In my ideal world, things look like this:

NIH pays for the research and development of new drugs, and we do not give out patents for any of it. Pharmaceutical companies are free to produce whatever drugs they want, and cannot prevent anyone else from producing those drugs; they must only meet the quality control standards set by the FDA. All drugs would be sold like today's "generics," in a competitive market that keeps prices down.