A patent is, in essence, a way to use government force to expand your short-term profits at the expense of everyone else. From this piece at The Scientist: "A narrowing or invalidation of the patents could speed up research, many scientists say. Some researchers complain that the licensing process slows their work down, while others say it is prohibitively expensive. ... It slows things down and sort of sets up an artificial step in the process." A patent is a form of regulation, and regulated industries mean slow progress, expensive goods, and an reduction in competition. Competition is the only incentive process that leads to better, cheaper, more effective products. Industries that depend absolutely on ideas but are largely free of patents - or even copyright in the case of fashion design - are highly dynamic, competitive and profitable. Why, then, do we put up with this nonsense of the few exploiting the many in far more vital industries such as medicine?

Link: http://www.the-scientist.com/news/home/25037/