• Question: what is patent

    Asked by jack tomatohead to Sinead, Padraic, Nathan, Fiona, Aislinn on 30 Jan 2015. This question was also asked by CiaraF02.
    • Photo: Sinead Quirke

      Sinead Quirke answered on 30 Jan 2015:

      A patent is for when you invent something and you don’t want someone else to copy it . If they want to copy it they have to pay you money because u own the idea. If they copy you without paying then they are really stealing from you and you can take them to court.

    • Photo: Aislinn Coghlan

      Aislinn Coghlan answered on 2 Feb 2015:

      Like Sinead said, it makes sure noone steals your idea. Patents are very important in the pharmaceutical industry as the companies spend years developing a medicine and need to make their money back on it.

      Patents are not for life however, they usually only last about 15 years. After this time, anyone can take your idea and use it. This is what people mean when they talk about “generic” medicine. It is the exact same medicine, only it is usually much cheaper as the company making it didn’t put all the money and effort into developing the medicine

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