Pandemic: Patents, Viruses and Money

There have been instances in our local history where proteinaceous RNA based viruses have been discovered in different parts of the world. For various reasons the attention of the inhabitants of these viruses have been directed towards Africa. These viruses are normally found carried by bats living in deeps caves, or amongst different primates. What is interesting is that they usually do not start off as deadly viruses, yet strains of these viruses become ever increasingly dangerous once there is knowledge of their genomic sequence. Many a time disease control corporations or elitist research institutions seek out to sequence and profile these viruses, in order to see whether they can:

1) See the affects of the viruses on animal and human physiology

2) Create a Vaccine for these viruses

3) Create and own various strains of these viruses the are at least 70% identical to the original strain

Once a strain of a virus is created by a corporation or research institution they may seek to patent these strains i.e. officially having certification and accreditation over the invention of the strain of that virus. With this in hand they have more control over what they can do with their invention over a specific period of time (dependant on the patent time period).

Now here’s a little bit of background for you, we have genetic material known as DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) and RNA (Ribonucleic Acid); the difference between the two is that DNA has one less oxygen atom bound to it’s carbon sugar ring. DNA is a double stranded molecule, whereas RNA is a single stranded molecule. Due to some of the varying characteristics of these two genetic units, RNA species have a much higher genetic mutagenic rate, as the protein responsible for repairing genetic faults is not able to do this as well, relative to DNA. With this is mind it can be said that it is very hard to treat patients with RNA based viruses in their system, as they continuously mutate at a much faster rate.

To pull some ideas together, let’s say that you had a sample of people that were infected by a strain of a patented virus that spread via an experimental “accident”, and they were showing severe symptoms of this infection. Under some form of alert these people would want to be cured, where the attempt would be made, but by professionals who had the intentions to isolate and patent a possible new strain of that virus, in addition to creating a new and eventually patented vaccine to help prevent the viral spread. This is done by demanding that the infected individuals cross national borders in order to be treated (bearing in mind the indigenous country is assumed to deal with similar medical issues, if not the same ones).  If you have the media in your control creating a pandemic crisis, it could in fact raise heightened alarm bells to people where they feel unsettled and unsafe, and may feel like some form of drastic preventative measures are necessary. A lot of money can then be invested by governments to pay top pharmaceutical companies to help public hospitals and other institutions provide treatment for these sufferers. A lucrative deal for the inventive and patient business owners.

What is sad about this is that there’s a mix of realities in this scenario: people could actually be dying from viral infections without knowing that it can easily be prevented, whereas on the other hand people are making a lot of money out this knowing exactly what they are doing… Knowledge is power, and not everyone shares the same form of power. I hope this may have raised some questions for some and inspires people to research and act in any way that is affirmative and positive to the growth of mankind. Read between the lines, absorb and act!