> 20+ years and counting

I took a moment to search for Morales Tapia in Google Patents and could not find any matches. You do have an impressive resume, though.

> I don't see companies making the exact same argument the other way around, i.e. "hey I just made a PCR, this is a really cool technique, I should find out who invented this and send them money because they deserve to be rich".

Is PCR patented, or was it at some point? Companies constantly pay patent royalties for inventions that they want to use, whether the patent is held by an academic institution or not.

If the inventors of PCR wanted to receive royalties from it, patent law was there to help them achieve just that.

I truly don't understand how somebody who works in research isn't familiar with this process.

> You (not you-you, the generic you) want to be a dick and close down an open ecosystem of innovation where millions have contributed only to buy yourself a condo and some LEGO sets?

Ew.