With all of the posters and emails going around, it seems that every Harvard student is saying yes to drugs. To generic drugs for those in the developing world who cannot afford name brand pharmaceuticals. Of course, with this basic premise and a cute slogan going around, pretty much all Harvard students (even the Crimson) have seemingly gotten behind this new campaign.
Although initially, promoting generic drugs seems like a good policy, in the long term, it may turn out to be extremely detrimental. The point of patent law is to protect the right to research and provide incentive for pharmaceutical companies to develop of new drugs by allowing them to make greater profits due to their temporary monopoly over its production. Eliminating the patent law will strip away the high potential for profit, deterring companies from producing the life-saving drugs in the first place. Profit motive provided by the United States market is the main reason that we’ve had many miraculous breakthroughs for pharmaceuticals.
To me, it seems wiser to temporarily delay the production of generic drugs in developing companies than to deter their production altogether. Promoting patent law may seem like a policy in the pockets of corporate pharmaceutical companies, but it’s actually a plan to provide lifesaving generic drugs in the long-term.
Unlike my peers, I must repeat the refrain of the great conservative role model, Nancy Reagan. Just say no!
[Jordan Monge is a Sophomore in Currier and the Membership and Publicity Director of the Harvard Republican Club.]
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