Unfortunately, in order to get cheap ciproflaxacin from India, the U.S. would have to find a way to circumvent the same patent laws that have given us very expensive but life-saving drugs ranging from Novartis (nyse: NVS - news - people ) cancer drug Gleevec to Merck 's (nyse: MRK - news - people ) cholesterol-fighting drug Zocor.

FORBES: Cipro, Anthrax And The Perils Of Patents