That Guy Who Is Price-Gouging AIDS Patients Also Did It to Kids with Kidney Disease

[Catherina]

That Guy Who Is Price-Gouging AIDS Patients Also Did It to Kids with Kidney Disease
By Jeremy Stahl

"THEY SEE ME ROLLING..."

— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) September 16, 2015
https://twitter.com/MartinShkreli/status/644222084651069440/photo/1

...

The former hedge fund manager whose pharmaceutical company has come under withering attack for allegations of egregious price-gouging on life-saving medication is the subject of a $65 million lawsuit by his former employer for alleged stock manipulation—and it turns out he once tried a similar price hike scheme with that company. During Martin Shkreli's tenure as CEO of Retrophin—the company that is now suing him—the company increased prices on a decades-old kidney medication by about 20 times its original cost, a move similar to the controversial price increase by his new company reported by the New York Times on Sunday.

When Shkreli was CEO of Retrophin, the company purchased a kidney medication approved by the FDA in 1988 called Thiola and increased the cost from $1 per pill to $30 per pill. That drug treated cystinuria, a lifelong disease for which there is no known cure and which afflicts about 20,000 patients in the United States. Forbes health care contributor Steve Brozak described the disease last year when news of the price increase broke:

Patients are usually diagnosed with the disease at a very young age and have an abnormally high concentration of an amino acid called cystine present in their urine. The excess cystine crystallizes regularly into stones that painfully travel through the kidneys, ureters or bladder. Imagine having a kidney stone form or pass once a month, tearing through your organs as it tracks its way out of your body.

There was no alternative drug for cystinuria sufferers, Brozak reported, and the 20-fold hike raised the price to about between $54,750 to $109,500 per year. At the time, Brozak argued that Retrophin was “turning patients into commodities like barrels of oil,” while University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Associate Professor of Urology Benjamin Davies called it a case of “predatory capitalism on the backs of the sick and silent.” Writing for Science Transnational Medicine, pharmaceutical columnist Derek Lowe said the Thiola increase was the “most unconscionable drug price hike I have yet seen.”

Shkreli is currently going on business news programs arguing for the current price hike on Daraprim by saying that it is necessary for future research and development. Last year, Retrophin made the exact same argument in a http://www.retrophin.com/pdf/ThiolaInvestorCCPresentation.pdf" target="_blank">since-removed business presentation on its website to justify its price increase on Thiola, saying that it “plans to develop a long-acting version of Thiola® for once daily dosing.” (In a hilarious and perhaps not atypical legal notice about the “anticipated development, timing, data readouts and therapeutic scope of programs in our clinical pipeline,” the proposal warned “these forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as ‘anticipate,’ ‘believe,’ ‘estimate,’ ‘expect,’ ‘forecast,’ ‘intend,’ ‘may,’ ‘plan,’ ‘project,’ ‘target,’ ‘will’ and other words and terms of similar meaning. You should not place undue reliance on these statements.”)

...

Read the rest here: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/09/22/martin_shkreli_price_gouging_the_hedge_fund_bro_pulled_drug_price_hike_scheme.html?wpsrc=sh_all_mob_tw_ru

[napkinz]

1. that smirk ...

[HooptieWagon]

4. That's a sociopathic smirk. Nt

[napkinz]

6. the smirk comes at 5:38 in the video, when she asks him if he is going to change the price ...

CNBC Interviewer: Are you going to change the price?

Shkreli: No. (says with a smirk)

[Catherina]

11. Argggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh! makes you wanna scream! n/t

[Warpy]

28. It makes me want to rearrange his face

so that he looks like the monster he is.

[napkinz]

49. another smirk ... has this guy ever cried in his life? has he ever had empathy for anyone???

[davekriss]

69. True sociopath!

Bloodsucking profiteering price-gouging son of a b will be working off his karma for his next two hundred lives!

[lumberjack_jeff]

15. I'm going to give the bullies that stole his lunch money a pass on this one. n/t

[passiveporcupine]

25. He has no soul

He is one of the truly evil people. Like Cheney.

[jmowreader]

53. More like a student who's surpassed his master

While Cheney is inarguably as evil as the day is long, I suspect he wouldn't do this.

[passiveporcupine]

54. Yeah, you're right

Cheney would do it in a heartbeat if he thought he could get away with it...but he's smart enough to know he can't.

This guy is getting killed on social media. I wonder how it's affecting him? I just hope it wipes that sick smirk off his face.

[drmeow]

71. They don't care about what people

say about them on social media - the only thing that has been shown to change sociopaths behavior is the threat of loss of money, power, or life.

[geardaddy]

35. That face should be in the dictionary

Next to "Backpfeifengesicht"

[laundry_queen]

58. That's a cool word

I do so wish there was an equivalent in English.

[malokvale77]

59. My favorite word lately...

thanks to fumesucker.

I know a few IRL an on DU I would apply the word to.

[ryan_cats]

42. That face is

That face is eminently punchable.

[yardwork]

2. Big Pharma must be furious with him. He's blowing their cover.

These things must be done delicately....

[Catherina]

8. Maybe we should thank him for exposing how morally vacuous the industry is n/t

[blm]

9. That's exactly what I've been thinking.

/

[artislife]

73. All is being revealed...nt

[BlueJazz]

3. This dude is playing a VERY dangerous game. (Not speaking for myself) You can't flaunt the fact that

....somebody's child may be dying because of you. Very, very dangerous...in these times.

[stevenleser]

5. I was trying to find a way to say that delicately myself.

If one of my kids couldn't afford that kidney drug, or toxoplasmosis drug because of what he did, well, I am sure there are a lot of parents that would agree with me that at least thinking of doing that person grave bodily harm would be a very regular occurrence.

I can't promise I would limit myself to thinking about it.

[hamsterjill]

18. I wholeheartedly agree.

While I won't be causing him any harm myself, I would hold no malice toward anyone who might if his actions were literally causing the death of someone's loved one.

He is a repulsive human being who has no earthly idea what it means to care about someone.

[7962]

21. I'd whip his ass in a heartbeat if I thought I could get away with it

Sometimes force is the only thing some people understand

[passiveporcupine]

27. I"m not going to wish harm or death on him for his actions

He will end up paying for his actions, and that is already happening in the social media. But it won't bother me a bit if he ends up with a life-threatening illness that he cannot afford the medication for.

That would be Karma.

[3catwoman3]

38. A small editorial suggestion.

Leave out the human being part- he is repulsive says it all.

[hamsterjill]

66. Yes!

Good suggestion!!!

[Catherina]

7. Based on all the anger directed at him right now on twitter, I agree n/t

[KansDem]

22. I'm wondering if this could lead to armed customers in drug stores

Really, though...

somebody's child may be dying because of you

Might we see a desperate parent go into a drug store and demand the drug at gunpoint?

[questionseverything]

10. some things are just too important for capitalism

healthcare is one of them

the first thing the aca should of addressed is cost containment

[malokvale77]

60. Why yes indeed...

instead we have health insurance that most can't afford and can't afford to use if we have it.

[Johnny2X2X]

12. Death Penalty

This man deserves to be tried for crimes against humanity. He sees people suffering and potentially dying and he says to himself, "man if they would all just suffer a little more and die in greater numbers, then I can profit." That is someone who deserves to be tried in our justice system and face the death penalty if found guilty.

[MohRokTah]

13. Agreed. IF you're going to have a Death Penalty, this is the sort of person who deserves it. eom

[drmeow]

72. YES! eom

[lpbk2713]

14. "I don't wanna grow up. I'm a Toys r Us kid."

Piss on him and the weasel he rode in on.

[Rex]

16. He has a special place in hell waiting for him.

That smile, wow amazing what greed does to a person. Rot in hell.

[lumberjack_jeff]

17. To be more accurate, he's gouging all insurance customers.

This is a collective problem, demanding collective action.

Abandon the practice of exclusivity and shorten patent terms.

By the time that's done, this asshole will have already made his literal killing.

[7962]

19. Spread the word about this guy. Look into his past;

hes been sued MANY times. His old company is suing him right now for 65 million. Here is an article on him titled
"Big Pharma's biggest asshole"
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/21/martin-shkreli-is-big-pharma-s-biggest-asshole.html?source=socialflow&via=twitter_page&account=thedailybeast&medium=twitter

he needs his ass beat

[lark]

20. Freaking smirking entitled asshole is what he is.

Also, a pox on humanity. The worst of the 1%ers. He makes Scrooge look kind. Wish there was something we could do?

[MisterP]

23. been ALLOWED to do, remember--by prating anarcho-capitalists, oily-smooth corporatist pols promising

us to reverse everything and then further entrenching it, by your asshole uncle who bellyaches all day about the country's problems but doesn't want anything to be DONE to reverse them because a Black person might get some money

[Auggie]

40. Yes. Problems like these could be SOLVED BY CONGRESS ...

but they won't be, of course.

[Milliesmom]

24. Ahh!! KARMA !

U.S. News


Price-gouging pharma bro under investigation for corporate looting, fraud and stalking

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/price-gouging-pharma-bro-under-investigation-for-corporate-looting-fraud-and-stalking/

[Warren DeMontague]

32. I'm sure he'll get probation.

He's not a "real criminal", unlike the cancer grannies currently serving 5-10 year mandatory minimums for being busted smoking a joint.

[Milliesmom]

64. Where is this happening??

What are they thinking? It's legal here in Washington State where I'm at, wish it were everywhere to help people like her. Has anyone started a petition for her?

[SoapBox]

26. "former hedge fund manager..."

Enough said, right there.

[arcane1]

30. The last sort of person you want deciding the cost of life-saving medicine n/t

[artislife]

74. I caught that too

And this is why we have a problem with a certain candidate and family.

[closeupready]

29. How do people like this come from healthy families?

?

[d_legendary1]

33. Usually psychopaths breed more psycopaths

Dog eat dog and all that stuff.

[Doremus]

47. I can imagine typical home life

Bootstraps, self-responsibility lectures and zero caring or compassion.

I can only wish that he suffers the same fate that he's bestowed on his victims, many times over.

[d_legendary1]

76. I'm not gonna wish any harm on this bastard

I'm a big believer in Karma and God's wrath. How and when he gets his is up to the cosmos.

[laundry_queen]

61. You can never know if a family is 'healthy'

unless you are in said family. Most dysfunctional families look like a loving, normal, caring family from the outside. Mine did.

But most sociopaths/psychopaths are born with the tendency. Even 'productive, law-abiding' sociopaths from actual 'healthy' families lack empathy and have to learn that it's in their best interests to treat people in a caring manner.

[Turbineguy]

31. The drug treats parasitic infections.

Like him?

[gregcrawford]

34. It would be an insult to vermin...

... to call him a weasel. How about "Hagfish?" Yeah, that works.

I wouldn't be surprised if he jacked the price in hopes that he could rake in enough to pay all the legal bills he's going to have for some of his previous con jobs. He's got legions of victims screaming for his head on a pike. The boy is a walking, talking neon sign flashing SOCIOPATH!

He's gonna go down so hard, he'll be nothing but a grease spot in the dirt. Good riddance.

[Initech]

36. And this is precisely why we hate rich people. Fuck that guy.

[madamesilverspurs]

37. First glance at his photo

instantly brought to mind Peter Lorre's mad doctor in Arsenic and Old Lace.
Not dissing Lorre, but it was kind of startling for a second or two.




.

[MFM008]

51. A little off...

Peter Lorre yes, however it was in his first film 'M' about a child murderer. This guy gives me a major case of the creepies. I dont mean Peter Lorre either.....

[3catwoman3]

39. He reminds me of that creep...

... Kevin Trudeau, who is always hawking some sort of miracle bullshit.

[beam me up scottie]

45. +1

Both criminals, only one is doing time.

[alcina]

41. Two interesting background articles

He's like a very dangerous child in an almost-adult body. And everything is a game....

http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-04-17/retrophins-martin-shkreli-the-biotech-short-seller-who-went-long

http://www.dailydot.com/esports/shkreli-challenger-inori-curryshotgg/

[jtuck004]

44. "a very dangerous child"< his inner child is Charles Manson. n/t

[jtuck004]

43. What do those drugs cost in Canada? n/t

[maindawg]

46. It does not make any sense

I saw him on CBS. He was smirking, he called his plan , Aultruistic' because , he said there needs to be more research ,'in my opinion' smirking. We all know that he is not in any way qualified to have an opinion on the topic. The Doctors say that drug works very well and that it does not even need to be improved upon. To go from 13 dollars to 750 dollars is not any kind of workable business model. It will not work.
Ins companies will refuse to pay it. They have thousands of lawyers and millions of pissed off customers. How does this kid think he can pull this off? Why try ? Maybe just to leverage himself a great negotiating position. He really thinking 100 bucks and when he 'settles ' for only 100 dollars a pill, everyone will be so glad to bend over and take their medicine.

[WinkyDink]

48. "Tell Mike it was only business. "

[stevenleser]

50. Yep, old Abe Vigoda as Tessio

[SwankyXomb]

52. Nothing wrong with that guy that can't be fixed

by a brief application of a guillotine.

[REP]

55. Don't have to imagine what it's like; that's my life. Drug didn't work for me though.

[3catwoman3]

56. How old is this twerp?

He looks pre-pubertal, and acts like a spoiled brat.

[Blue Owl]

57. POFS

[Avalux]

62. He's very clever. Acquiring drugs that people MUST take.

The anti-fungal that started this is the ONLY drug that treats toxoplasmosis (a fungal infection); people with AIDs, cancer - anyone with a compromised immune system is susceptible to get it.

Mr. Smarmy Capitalist created a pharmaceutcal company - not to create drugs - but buy old drugs that are must haves, and jack up the prices.

He's the lowest form of human being there is; money above all else, including people's lives.

[laundry_queen]

63. Whatta tool

I hope that he's going to forever be known as the greedy loser that destroyed private pharmaceutical companies and brought in national pharmacare in North America.

[malokvale77]

65. Excuse my grammar...

but he his a bloody fucking asshole who deserves to die for lack of treatment for the injuries he receives from a beating by someone whose loved one died for lack of an affordable treatment.

That goes for anyone who gouges the price of medical care. Here's looking at you GILEAD.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

67. What was that new German word we learned for "smack able face"?

[stevenleser]

68. Backpfeifengesicht nt

[Hassin Bin Sober]

70. Thank you!

[DisgustipatedinCA]

75. I'd like to see this guy ruined, trapped inside his penthouse forever.

Dick.

[TBF]

77. K&R for Brother Malcolm - nt

[geek75]

78. Why don't we do something then?

If something doesn't get done there will be thousands more like him.

[arcane1]

79. There are already thousands more. In nearly every large corporation.

[gopiscrap]

80. Welcome to DU!!!