Mr. Clinton, there were no negotiation before the decision to break the law and this for sure is not the only cause for putting Thailand on the priority watchlist. Why don't tell people when you need money to steal it or go to the bank and get it by force without using any other option of negotiation before? Is it that you're are telling us Mr. (pimp) Clinton? Are you that stupid? Mongkol: Clinton backs Thailand on CL (BangkokPost.com) - Bill Clinton supported Thailand's decision to implement compulsory licensing of generic versions of the Aids and heart drug, Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said in a telephone interview from the United States on Wednesday. Dr Mongkol, who travelled to the US early this week to explain Thailand's position on compulsory licensing policies to US pharmaceutical firms, said that Clinton backed Thailand and Brazil's efforts to challenge drug patents of big pharmaceutical companies in order to allow the poor to have access to the drugs. He confirmed that Thailand would implement the licensing of only three drugs -- Aids drugs Efavirenz and Kaletra and the heart drug Plavix -- not 20-30 as speculated by the US Trade Representative Office (USTR). "I viewed that the USTR's downgrading of Thailand to Priority Watch List is unfair," Dr Mongkol said. "We are prepared to discuss about this with other pharmaceutical firms, NGOs, World Health Organisation and USTR to ask for fairness." According to reports, Clinton also supported Brazil's similar effort to implement the Aids drug Efavirenz. "I strongly support the position of the governments of Thailand and Brazil and their decision after futile negotiations to break these patents," Clinton was quoted as saying. some more about it here
The reason patents exist is to encourage individuals and companies to invest in research and development. Individuals and companies invest in research and development because they believe that they will be able to recoup those costs over the lifetime of their patents. Patent breaking discourages research and development and reduces the types of technological innovations which make all of our lives better. The drug companies already deeply discount their products outside of the United States. In addition to discouraging R&D and slowing the pace of medical advances, this type of thievery also raises the cost of drugs for American consumers.
It's okay though, cuz we have government to come in and help us pay for pills that their own stupid laws raised the cost of in the first place.
By taking more of our own money and then giving it back to us (minus a stuff processing fee) to help us pay for those pills. The world becomes a very strange place when you leave politicians in charge.