Geoff Rickly on Surviving Martin Shkreli • Page 3

Craig is smart, be like Craig.

 

Wait, I don't understand. He may have known that an off-brand tablet was coming out, so he had to price gouge? That isn't how markets work, folks.

But, anyway, I feel bad for Geoff and Shkrelli is a piece of shit. The idea that "well, this is capitalism" isn't a justification. It needs to be interrogated. If things such as music and medicine are treated as commodities, then the structuring role capital plays is, in itself, deeply problematic.

 

I did. I have read a lot about him. The "generic" pill isn't generic, it was created in the aftermath of the issue. It's the main ingredient of Daraprim with a folic acid added in to circumvent the patent that Turing own.

This too, it's absurd.

 

My point still stands 100%. That's how our healthcare systems in the United States work. It's flawed, even absurd, which was my entire point in the first place.

 

Doesn't mean Martin Shkreli isn't a piece of shit, so? The flawed system in America is shit, yes. I said as much in my second post in this thread but it does not absolve Shkreli from blame nor judgement.

 

I never said anything about whether Shkreli is a piece of shit or not. All I was saying is that was a possible alternate reason for his actions, a reason entirely justified, if horribly greedy, because of our healthcare system.

 

i mean, as i said i mentioned that in my second post. following on from that were comments about him personally.

 

Thank goodness there was someone here to provide an alternative perspective that boils down to justifications for a rapacious behaviour that always-already has justification.

 

When I talked to Christian Christian mentioned someone kept trying to push two deliverances as a single. I imagine this was the situation (could be wrong tho)

 

I don't think anyone is trying to imply that the rise in price of Dararprim wasn't excessive, inhuman, and immoral. All I am really saying is, just picking a guy like Shkreli and building him into a comic book super villain is a wholly unserious way to address the fundamental issues that actually caused the rise in price. It's just Internet brow beating.

 

One can go from the particular to the general with ease, i.e., this person is a piece of shit. He is a piece of shit because of a profit-driven medical complex. He is an example of what happens when we structure our medicine this way. We need to change this.

 

Is this about Goodness?

I remember an old blog post by Christian where he mentioned them being courted by a famous guy from the scene that they refused while they were still The Hotel Year.

 

And I think what I'm saying is, let's move past the particular and get into the general. It's been almost a year since the price hike, Shkreli has been ousted as CEO of Turing and has become much-maligned public figure as a result, deservedly so. Despite this, the price of Daraprim remains the same.

Whatever economic or market forces (I'm not going to pretend to understand them) created this need to raise the price, and whatever structural mechanisms allowed Turing to take advantage of regulatory loopholes (again, not going to pretend to understand all that) existed before Shkreli, and have continued to exist after.

Firing Shkreli was a response to a PR backlash. The public got the head on the stick they wanted, and Turing continues to sell the drug for the same price.

 

It isn't an either/or it is a both/and. It just so happens that this article popped up, which people responded to about this particular person, but that in itself opened up a space for people to talk about market mechanisms being the basis of distributing medicine. Just because it isn't getting as much attention doesn't mean it isn't happening.

 

Fair enough.

 

One of the only things I've gotten from this is how it's crazy to think you literally have no idea who people are behind a username, but only that we agree/disagree over music... And it brings us all together. Even if only for a short few seconds on the Internet as we scroll through our lives.

 

Why I am Thankful for Martin Shkreli

When I got my most recent prescription filled in November, I asked the pharmacist the cost per pill. She put me on hold, and informed me it was about $795. I got a five-day course of treatment, with a total of ten pills. Do the math. That is a serious chunk of change.

 

Fair. Again, not trying to be a devil's advocate OR excuse him for his actions; but I literally spent a long two hours last night watching him explain and justify himself to various strangers [most of them furious/a few apparent victims] who called him on Periscope. As foul and gross as he can seem, I'm curious and I want to understand his viewpoint, and he undoubtedly has a genuine belief in his own 'good intentions': that's what I meant in my last post. My words were essentially his own and it made sense to a degree- if it was true- and honestly, I'd like to believe it if I could, because I struggle to comprehend how anyone could have an evil agenda to the extent otherwise.

This hasn't been a topic I've been actively engaged in until recently, so I'm still trying to research and find out as much as I can, including reading all of these comments, the links, and everything on how American pharmaceutical companies work. As someone from Europe, it all seems fucked up over there with everything being privatised. The price gouging is ridiculous and unreal compared to what we have over here. It's bullshit, and Shkreli has highlighted that clearly.

I found out from your previous post that a $1 alternative was offered up by Express Scripts/Imprimis, which I am happy about. Apparently they could still turn over a profit, which is interesting and contrary to Shkreli statements, so I'd be curious to see how he'd respond to that. Also, I'm curious as to the legitimacy of his claims. He says [loosely quoted] that he won't and hasn't turned anyone away from Daraprim, and has repeatedly stated that the majority of his drugs are given away for free- for people who are unable to afford it/have no insurance/etc. All they supposedly had to do was fill in a form from Turing after seeing a doctor and receiving the prescription. Has there been any evidence of this?

Would appreciate being informed opposed to being ridiculed if possible. It's fascinating, and I'd like to learn and believe things aren't so black and white if possible. Sure, Shkreli is a definite capitalist pig taking advantage of a shitty system to benefit himself financially, but if it's true that he is still allowing people easy, free access to Daraprim for those who need it; and that he is consciously using the majority of funds raised [from corporations like Walmart and insurance companies who pay full price] to develop safer ways to treat toxoplasmosis - I don't think I can make a snap judgement to vilify him so easily.

<Apologies for the long post/I'd be interested to hear what people think of my ramblings>