Critically discuss why patents may hamper innovation.

A large share of scientific knowledge has been generated within a regime of open science. In some fields of technology, progress is cumulative, with yesterday’s efforts setting the stage for today’s efforts and achievements (current debate on property rights in biotechnology suggests similar problems) IPRs are more likely to be a hindrance than an incentive to innovate excessive fragmentation of IPRs among too many owners may well slow down research activities because each owner can block each other. Patenting often appears to be a complementary mechanism for appropriating returns to product innovation Fom CGPT friend: Monopoly Power, Blocking Innovation, Inhibiting Collaboration, High Transaction Costs, Misallocation of Resources (patent race mentality)