The Economist this week lays out the problems facing our defenses against bioterrorism. It notes that the science behind vaccination and chemical antidotes is difficult, but that the difficulties are compounded by the disincentives for private companies to develop and sell such treatments. On the one hand, liability makes firms skittish, because the potential risk of a treatment for the general population is quite large and unending. On the other hand, the government held Bayer’s patents hostage unless prices were dropped - a noble act in itself but one which understandably makes private companies nervous in developing future treatments. The result is that the private sector will develop these treatments only with a risk premium paid on them, but given the liberals’ tendency to see any risk premium as crass profiteering, the result is more status quo. Meanwhile, our biodefenses are weakened as a result. This is one issue on which lefties should swallow their humanist pride and think the issue completely through.
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