A prize fund would work well in areas in which needs are well known – the case for many diseases afflicting the poor – allowing clear goals to be set in advance. For innovations that solve problems or meet needs that have not previously been widely recognized, the patent system would still play a role.
这并不是说奖励基金就会取代专利。这只是激励和支持研究的种种手段的一部分。奖励基金将更多地应用在其需求被广泛所知，即影响穷人的许多疾病，同时可以提前设定清晰目标的领域。对于解决此前未被广泛所知的问题或满足其需求的创新，则依然还是应用专利体系。