Response to Sims Frazier's Intellectual Property

In his defense of intellectual property, Sims cites the protection of pharmaceutical companies’ patents. He says that “intellectual property protects people and does no harm to society.” With respect to pharmaceutical companies though, I beg to differ. While I do believe that the scientists that work to create these medicines to cure awful illnesses should be compensated generously, I cannot in good conscience say that the 10 year patent protection protects people and does no harm to society. Not to sound socialist or idealist, but the idea of profiting from sick people is despicable at best and sadistic at worst. In this case, the true victims of intellectual property are not those who came up with the ideas, but those whose need inspired the innovation. I believe that regardless of the existence of patents and copyrights and other similar government issued intellectual property protection, people will continue to innovate. People innovate to improve situations, not necessarily to turn profit.