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A comment on The US Supreme Court is hearing a case about patent law’s “exhaustion doctrine”. Parent comment

Re:The US Supreme Court is hearing a case about patent law’s... by moomin on Wednesday March 22, 2017 @09:45AM (#13930808)
Drug development is an interesting case, because the costs aren't associated with the research: they're associated with the safety testing. This has horribly distorting effects.
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Re:The US Supreme Court is hearing a case about patent law’s... by lordnacho on Wednesday March 22, 2017 @09:52AM (#13930849)
If that's the case, there's an obvious answer.

Don't have patents, have certificates of safety. That way anyone can make a drug, and show consumers that it's been tested safe.

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Re:The US Supreme Court is hearing a case about patent law’s... by maxerickson on Wednesday March 22, 2017 @10:10AM (#13931000)
That was basically the case for the drug that made Martin Shkreli famous.

(the drug was long out of patent, his company bought the FDA approved production line and such)

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Re:The US Supreme Court is hearing a case about patent law’s... by 6stringmerc on Wednesday March 22, 2017 @10:27AM (#13931137)
This is an interesting postulation and one I can support in theory.

My reaction though is tempered in the same way when I hear a US Federal Government person (ex: Secretary of Health) claim that a system of "Patient Empowerment and Patient Choice" is an ideal situation. I disagree. Looking at Health Statistics Reality (cough) a large portion of the US Population has made categorically bad decisions. Obesity. Heart Disease by way of contributing factors.

I get the rationale behind empowerment and allowing patients to find the "best" care around, but trusting Average Health Consumer to make Medical choices when they can't even get Dietary choices right is problematic.

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Re:The US Supreme Court is hearing a case about patent law’s... by mantas on Wednesday March 22, 2017 @10:01AM (#13930929)
If someone makes a drug and proves it safe, someone else could piggyback on that and say they're making the drug the same way, thus it's safe.
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