[sclug] Richard Stallman in The Guardian

[lug at assursys.co.uk]

On Sat, 7 Jun 2003, Lars Haggqvist wrote:

> I'm not saying that patents are completely bad. In a world driven by an
> economic agenda patents ensure that financial investment is secured, however
> patents should have a lifespan as in the pharmaceutical industry. Now I know
> the pharmas create all sorts of other moral dilemmas, but no-one would think
> of patenting the sodium-chloride or alcohol molecules. It's the big
> molecules that get the rubber stamp. But only for a time like
> acetylsalicylic acid (aka asprin).

Actually, the problems that we are seeing with ever-lengthening terms on IP
rights are causing similar problems in healthcare. This is why Brazil chose
to flout patents on anti-retroviral (HIV) drugs - so they could treat their
HIV+ sufferers affordably. (My apologies if I haven't worded that using the
correct PC terms).

<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/08/24/waids124.xml>

Good on 'em (Brazil), I say. Some things are more important than IPR,
regardless of what the suits and the lawyers might say.

Another example I thought of is Rice-Tec (attempting the) patenting (of)
certain strains of Basmati rice:

<http://in.biz.yahoo.com/010823/17/13ecc.html>

Best Regards,
Alex.
-- 
Alex Butcher      Brainbench MVP for Internet Security: www.brainbench.com
Bristol, UK                      Need reliable and secure network systems?
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