E-drug: Science vs Shareholders (cont)
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Re: Development of Unprofitable Drugs
John Urquhart, Thanks for your deep insights to the effect that
drugs can't be cheaply developed and must prospectively command
premium prices to attract capital. Discouraging but probably true.
There seems to be a tension between the necessity of prospective
profits to attract capital (which cannot be disputed) and the
necessity of saving lives. Sadly, man places his own profit over his
neighbor's life.
But it is so and all efforts to change his nature have failed. And when
government intercedes results are almost always wanting. Yet private,
non-profit institutions have often played a key role in developing new
drugs.
So, I am wondering: Would it make any sense to create a charitable
foundation to acquire technology and patents on partially developed,
unprofitable drugs and to fund their development as a non-profit enterprise?
Of course, drugs are all over being developed by non-profit institutions but
I wonder how many are targeted to the world's poorest people and the
diseases that afflict them. And I wonder if it is possible to obtain the
technology and patents that the drug companies otherwise might file away
and forget about. Considering the developing policy focus on global disease
problems, perhaps there is room for new ideas.
Scott D. Hillstrom, Esq.
Cry for the World Foundation
scott.hillstrom@analyticorp.co.nz
+1.651.452.6003 (Mob) +1.612.802.2367
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