As for your statements concerning pharmaceutical market - the truth is more complicated. How would you call a company that's patenting a new, innovative drug that's practically the same as the product of competitors, but has a (minimally) altered particle? No problems to patent it for a long time (except you need an awfull lot of money for clinical trials, but the risk that your congener fails there is somewhat lower than in the case of its precursor). And the sums we're talking about here are so huge that small, innovative company (or some university) that may sometime discover a fantastic drug (yes, that happens) can only wait and beg "the big ones" to invest their money and sponsor the further trials/production. Unfortunately, if they consider that your "new, fantastic drug" has no mareting potential, you can stick it deep in your... drawer. OK, you might have some luck if you develop an "orphan drug", but in other case... :(. IT is completely different in this matter, here even a microscopic company with a good idea may become a giant in no time (and I believe I don't have to post some good examples here).

Also don't underestimate the role of generic companies. If it wasn't for them the innovative ones would sell their innovative (or not-so-innovative-but-nevertheless-patented) drugs for ages without need to develop new ones.

Anyway, where were we? Ahh, Dave Haynie, yes.