The Wall Street Journal reports the story today.
Against Monopoly
defending the right to innovate
Monopoly corrupts. Absolute monopoly corrupts absolutely.
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A Lone Scientist Conducts R&D and Innovates Where Drug Companies Fear to Tread
In the 1960s Donald G. Stein wondered why female but not male rats recovered from brain injuries. His key finding, that the female hormone progesterone could heal brain injuries, challenged the scientific establishment and its group think mentality. Pharmaceutical companies couldn't be bothered to conduct R&D without the prospect of a patent, so they weren't interested. He got no government grant until 1999, which didn't kick in until 2001. Even the NIH ignored him at least until recently, although this might have been a good thing. A 1,000-patient study is in the works.
[Posted at 09/26/2007 07:01 PM by William Stepp on Innovation 
comments(2)]
Comments
I don't think this an example of patent blocking innovation. While progesterone cannot be patented, its use in brain damage recovery can definitely patented.
[Comment at 09/30/2007 02:25 AM by LuTze]
This example shows how a researcher who doesn't have the deep pockets of a pharmaceutical company can forge ahead and conduct promising R&D. So far he hasn't patented anything, I don't think, and hopefully he won't.
[Comment at 10/02/2007 05:59 PM by Bill Stepp]
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