From: gardner@convex.com (Steve Gardner)
Subject: Re: AIDS drug by indian firm
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 01:58:07 GMT
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
Keywords: patent law, US, India
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

In article <1993Jan6.004207.13870@ennews.eas.asu.edu> pinto@enuxva.eas.asu.edu (Kevin A. Pinto) writes:
>And then our brave inventive Indian company would have obtained a sample of
>clinical AZT and analyzed it in some laboratory in Bombay for less than
>Rs. 10000. (Actually, even that isn't necessary; the drug composition can
>be obtained from any U.S. Patent Registry Site, such as the one in my univ).
>It would have then found some other way to mix A, Z and T and presto!  A
>new way to make AZT!  I don't wonder that the U.S. Trade Representative gets
>pissed off.
	Your knowledge of chemistry is matched only by your sense of 
	justice. ;-) The chemical engineer that you claim to be should
	know that coming up with a cheaper, better chemical 
	process is NOT trivial. Presto indeed!.  Your silly attitude 
	(since it seems to be shared by too many of our countrymen) might be 
	part of the reason the Japanese who spend tons on PROCESS refinement 
	regularly kick our butts on manufacturing cost for just about any 
	manufactured commodity.

>Plainly speaking, the Indian company has hijacked B_W's research for a song.
	And B_W and its ilk are making health care not only unaffordable
	in the 3rd world but also in the West.  They are going to keep up
	their greedy pursuit of profits at any cost until even the West 
	demands redress.  Take a look at how health care costs are soaring
	out of control in America! Perhaps daddy takes care of your health
	insurance and you are basically healthy so you don't see it---yet.
	Wait a little while. What goes around comes around.  

>To say that they developed a new way to produce AZT is a joke - any B.E. or
>B.S. in Chemical Engineering (like me) could devise a way to produce AZT.
	OOH, the argument by authority.  Now you got me worried.  ;-)
	Sorry Charlie but if it were all that easy to make it cheaper than
	the Indian company why doesn't B_W do it?  Remember, the Indian
	process is cheaper.

>A product patent makes sure that these "inventors" don't get away with what
>is not their due.
	I got a news flash for you sunshine: intellectual property not only
	is abused to rip off the 3rd world, it is also used to rip off
	engineers.  How many engineers directly benefit from the fruits of
	their labor?  When you grow up and get a job ;-) you'll find out you
	have to sign away the right to own your own *friggin thoughts*.  
	Whether you have your idea on "your time" or "theirs" is irrelevant.  
	You will become just a cow to be milked for profitable ideas so that 
	some fat cat in upper management can cut himself a nice fat bonus
	and then *lay you off* if it suits him.  Keep on shining his shoes
	and you'll have the "satisfaction" of knowing that that nice fat
	bonus will come at the expense of some kid dying in the 3rd world
	because of a perfectly preventible disease.  "Giving inventors their
	due" is always the rationale used to justify the form of theft we
	call "intellectual property".  Its a big lie and you are helping to
	perpetrate it and hence to steal from yourself and from millions
	of impoverished people in the 3rd world.  Congratulations sunshine
	you been a good little lap dog.  Now go get the paper. ;-)



						smg