Google seems to now be working again. ::chuckles::

What you have here is a case of two evils. To ignore patent law to save people, or to ignore people to give into greed. The drug companies are out to make money. Not something anyone should readily discourage. However, its also a fact that many companies are doing so at the great expanse of lives or what value there drug really has.

Point in fact, for any specific drug. There is generally as much marketing money spent as R&D money spent. Often times quieting the facts of studies made or of even the true effectiveness of said drugs.
As well, often times the base research for said patents comes from Tax dollars.

Now, evils aside of the "Innocent" victims.

Bird Flu and it's variants is feared to be a global killer should it ever make it into the population at large. To not allow it to be reigned in early on would be a crime committed by all and any soverign nation. How would you like to see 1/10th of the US nationality wiped out because we wouldn't allow anyone access to such drugs? (Probably an over dramatization, but historically has happened)

Also, would research really go away??? The answer is Hell No. Research will still go on, by those who care. It went on before there where Biological Patents. It would go on after too. Penecillan didn't come about because of potentially making a multi millionairre out of the CEO.

Our Patent system is currently extremely innaccurate on what its true purpose is, which is just compenstaion. There should be a feasibilty limit on what anyone can charge for a patent in relation to its true development costs and difficulty of Idea.