Whole industries have sprung up based upon our fear of terrorism. And it's being funded in large part by the U.S. government to the detriment of other urgent needs.

Some sectors of the pharmaceutical industry hope to be the latest beneficiaries of this largesse.

An idea being pushed by Senator Joe Lieberman and likely to lead to a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Orin Hatch is called "wild-card exclusivity."

"Under his plan, a drug maker that successfully develops a product to prevent or treat a bioterrorism illness or emerging infectious disease could get six months to two years of additional patent life for any product it chooses."

Is this boondoggle really necessary? Is there a better way to extend patent life and actually save lives today?

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