[kniper]

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and while the fda might not be perfect, im sure its there for a good reason.



Lol. The credulity you grant to the state amazes me.

"While the National Helium Reserve might not be perfect, I'm sure it's there for a good reason."
"While the Gestapo might not be perfect, I'm sure it's there for a good reason."

The FDA is there for a good reason; to employ a lot of bureaucrats and increase the power of politicians.

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this is a discussion on patents, not on healthcare regulation. i honestly dont know enough about the process to argue about it, but my point is that there were certainly reasonable minds that came up with the fda, and certain events happened that made politicians call for it. yes yes, im sure your uber libertarian ideals would yield a better world cause the fda is mega inefficient, but ASSUME that fda regulations are a fixed part of a pharma company's costs. it has little to do with patents directly.

have to go, but quickly: my argument is not that "oh, compare ancient history where no patents, and now there are patents and techno wow!" my point there was to do exactly what you are saying: that comparing ancient history where there aren't patents yet inventions with todays world simply doesn't work. i was merely pointing out the exponential growth in recent history that occurred in lieu of patents.

and still waiting for you to articulate alternative systems plz.