I always wondered why research findings funded by tax dollars are freely available to pharma companies to make big bucks.

It is a vicious cycle. It starts from taxpayer funding research projects that culminate in publishing papers. And It ends in pharmaceutical companies selling products/drugs designed based on same research findings. Unfortunately, the general public pays for both, and my question is, why should they?

A company, when using research findings from a publicly funded project, should pay for it.

We know bugs adapt to resist drugs. How do they do it? We help them, really.

Incomplete dose regimen, self prescription and indiscriminate disposals let them develop resistance. One of the ways by which antibiotics work is by inducing heavy metal (such as silver, copper, manganese etc) toxicity. So bacteria have developed methods to eliminate heavy metals. They have special pumps called efflux pumps, that are made up of proteins.

Recently scientists have discovered that a little molecule called Triclosan can help us eradicate a condition that affects 2 billion people around the world (we are only 6.7 billion total right?). A parasitic infection called toxoplasmosis affects those many people is caused by a protozoan Toxoplasma gondii.

A total of 11% of the population in the US and up to 80% of the people in Brazil suffer by toxoplasmosis.   Domestic cats are primary carriers, but many animals and humans also  can carry the bug. It can pass on from even mother to the baby in the womb :( It causes morbidity and mortality to some extent, although it is a nuisance to the bigger extent.

Recently Scientists have figured that Malagasy spiders spin world’s toughest 
biological material (link to the full article given below). There was another article on the secret of oysters sticking together (link is below). Silk, wool from sheep camel etc, are routinely used,  we know. Why am I writing about spider webs and oyster shells? You might be surprised.