Know-it-all

Soon the calls will start pouring in from one medical charity or another trying to pull at our heartstrings in the season of giving. And while I have nothing against those that form support groups for the afflicted and their families, I do have a major issue with those that support "the cure". In other words, finance research to find a cure. Let me use the example of HIV/AIDS research as an example.

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised to find a cure for HIV/AIDS. Thousands of researchers are working tirelessly, from every angle possible, to accomplish this goal. Say tomorrow we wake up to a research house that has found a promissing solution. What happens next? The research is bought by a Big Pharma at a handsome profit. The Big Pharma commercializes with patent protection at a major profit. Do you see the issue?

Huge profits from my Charity! Last time I checked, Big Pharma were not exactly a charitable institution. Why should my charity go to make Big Pharma rich?

Soon the calls will start pouring in from one medical charity or another trying to pull at our heartstrings in the season of giving. And while I have nothing against those that form support groups for the afflicted and their families, I do have a major issue with those that support "the cure". In other words, finance research to find a cure. Let me use the example of HIV/AIDS research as an example.

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised to find a cure for HIV/AIDS. Thousands of researchers are working tirelessly, from every angle possible, to accomplish this goal. Say tomorrow we wake up to a research house that has found a promissing solution. What happens next? The research is bought by a Big Pharma at a handsome profit. The Big Pharma commercializes with patent protection at a major profit. Do you see the issue?

Huge profits from my Charity! Last time I checked, Big Pharma were not exactly a charitable institution. Why should my charity go to make Big Pharma rich?