Policy Report

The purpose of this research project was to uncover and examine case studies of the commercialization of traditional knowledge derived from the United States, and to observe how the existing IP structures in the U.S. facilitated the commercialization of traditional knowledge, and to what degree the existing IP structures aided or hindered both commercialization and the sharing of access and benefits.

While there is consensus that carbon-based energy sources will continue to meet the vast majority of the world’s energy needs for years to come, it is also clear that major breakthroughs across a range of clean energy technologies are essential to reconcile finite natural resources with seemingly infinite global energy demand.

The transition from brand name biologics to generic versions, or biosimilars, has raised several questions about what steps are needed to ensure the new generic drugs are as safe and effective as the originals. Six experts respond with their comments and concerns about how best to protect patients.

Bush advanced personal accounts for Social Security during his 2000 campaign, focusing solely on the personal accounts and their benefits for working people, and contrasting them with the alternatives of tax increases and benefit cuts. But once elected, he allowed this reform model to be displaced by tax increases and benefit cuts as the core of reform, with personal accounts as the “dessert.” This left the reform without the grassroots appeal to overcome the opposition on such a politically sensitive issue as Social Security.

Using a well-established U.S. government model and the latest copyright piracy figures, this study concludes that, each year, copyright piracy from motion pictures, sound recordings, business and entertainment software and video games costs the U.S. economy $58.0 billion in total output, costs American workers 373,375 jobs and $16.3 billion in earnings, and costs federal, state, and local governments $2.6 billion in tax revenue.

“Piracy” of recorded music costs the U.S. sound recording industries billions of dollars in lost revenue and profits. These losses, however, represent only a fraction of the impact of recorded music piracy on the U.S. economy as a whole. Combining the latest data on worldwide piracy of recorded music with multipliers from a well established U.S. government model, this study concludes that recorded music piracy costs American workers significant losses in jobs and earnings, and governments substantial lost tax revenue.

“Piracy” of recorded music costs the U.S. sound recording industries billions of dollars in lost revenue and profits. These losses, however, represent only a fraction of the impact of recorded music piracy on the U.S. economy as a whole. Combining the latest data on worldwide piracy of recorded music with multipliers from a well established U.S. government model, this study concludes that recorded music piracy costs American workers significant losses in jobs and earnings, and governments substantial lost tax revenue.

According to these essays by nine health care experts from Europe and Canada, rationing of care and lack of investment are the real-world results of their health care systems. As a result, patients in those countries are dissatisfied, facing long waiting lines and receiving treatment with old and outdated technologies. The U.S. should carefully consider the experience of patients in these countries before emulating their health care systems.

Motion picture piracy costs the film industry billions of dollars in lost revenue, but this is only a fraction of its impact on the total U.S. economy. Combining the latest data on worldwide movie piracy with multipliers from a respected U.S. government model, this study concludes that motion picture piracy costs American workers significant losses in jobs and earnings, and costs governments enormous lost tax revenue.

The Chief Actuary of Social Security has scored the Ryan-Sununu Social Security reform bill, which provides for large personal retirement accounts, as achieving full and permanent solvency of the program without benefit cuts or tax increases. Eventually there would be substantially higher benefits as well as tax cuts. The unfunded liability of Social Security also would be eliminated.