re: #266 sattv4u2

But then it’s the law of unintended conequences, no? I agree that Pfizer should be punished, and because they continued after #1, more severely after #2. However, where do you think that money will eventually come from?
I would be more in favor of not allowing them to have a piece of something in the future. It means they won’;t get money into their pocktes from that, but it also means they won’t have to take money out of pockets (yours and mine) to pay the fine(s)

That’s a good point. But is there an unintended consequence to that? Will they not invent or patent something valuable and helpful because of the loss of profit?

Medical research is one of those things I’m really conflicted about. I’d rather see more of it done in research institutions with public funding because the profit reality adds a lot of problems (like hiding research that shows a popular drug may be harmful; not developing drugs for less sexy diseases; etc.)… but that’s also somewhat unfair to the drug companies.

Perhaps a hybrid agreement, where the research is done in independent facilities, but the companies manufacture and distribute and pocket the profit after research costs have been subsidized?