As a budding economist, I was initially awed by the market mechanism: the invisible hand that encourages innovation and leads companies to efficiency levels that grow our nation’s wealth.  Observing underlying economic principles at work never ceased to amaze me as a college or graduate student. My learning journey in economics was not unlike that of a science student seeing beauty in the laws of nature. What I have learned in decades of practice and observation however is that outcomes are only as positive as the underlying motives of decision makers in the private and public sectors.  And in this regard, “Houston, we have a problem.” Over the holidays I read a Wall Street Journal article, “Counterfeit Cancer Medicines Multiply.” As the price of cancer drugs rose, they moved to being 8th among the top 10 drugs targeted by counterfeiters, according to the…