7 ms·
A pharma company receives patent for the specific molecule to be used for treating defined conditions. The cost of R&D usually is several billion dollars. The a
by daemon13 14y ago
A pharma company receives patent for the specific molecule to be used for treating defined conditions. The cost of R&D usually is several billion dollars. The absense of prior art is crystal clear. The efficacy is confirmed by clinical trials, required by FDA.
I am not convinced that using pharmaceuticals industry example is valid to illustrate your point, especially taking into account the subjective nature of prior art examination process.
- luriel 14y agoAlso, most of the cost of developing a new drug is not the R&D, but the clinical trials and the huge bureaucracy to get a drug approved. The pharma industry is also notoriously anti-competitive and suffers from chronic regulatory capture.
- mikeash 14y agoSurely the trials should be counted as part of R&D. A drug isn't done until it's proven to be safe and effective in humans, after all.