Debate discussion: intellectual property in an AC land

[zyqwert]

[ QUOTE ]
IE why cure cancer if as soon as you find the cure 10000000 companies buy your medicine then reproduce it themselves.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know a salesman who has all the big pharma companies as clients. In making small talk with scientists at one of them he was told while they had previously had done lots of research on HIV, HIV research was now decimiated. Lifestyle drugs for erections, baldness, and cholesterol were all the rage. The reason is simple and obvious: they know they can get paid for these drugs and they've learned they won't get paid for HIV drugs.

The lesson is we should demand free Viagra and let the drug companies go crazy with prices for cures to serious life threatening illnesses.