[JackFr]

You're right -- it was not carefully written. My point is that the current pharma business model is not essential to medical research in general (rather than research today).

Patent protection for drugs (and chemicals in general) was weak or non-existent in Europe until the 1970's, and despite that there was research and development of drugs.

I think the system we have today is largely driven by the patent mechanism, and while not terrible, could be made better by tweaking the patent system.

The government sponsored monopoly is supposed to guarantee a return on the R&D, not guarantee the return on Superbowl ads for another erectile dysfunction drug.