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Martin Shkreli ('The Most Hated Man On The Internet') Holds Reddit AMA And Gets 'Schooled' By A Doctor

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Martin Shkreli 'The Most Hated Man On The Internet' Holds Reddit AMA And Gets 'Schooled' By A Doctor

  • Martin Shkreli, CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, hosted a Reddit "Ask Me Anything."
  • Shkreli became "the most hated man on the Internet" after he acquired a drug called Daraprim and raised its price to $750 a pill from $13.50.
  • The top thread featured a discussion with a confirmed doctor who "schooled" Shkreli.
  • Martin Shkreli may have earned the reputation as being "the most hated man on the Internet" after the hedge fund manager raised the selling price of a drug called Daraprim to $750 a pill from $13.50.

    Looking to defend his actions, Shkreli took to Reddit and hosted an AMA ("ask me anything"), which didn't go over so well, according to some media sources such as Raw Story who said he got "schooled" by a "real [expletive] doctor."

    Medical Justification? 'None'

    Reddit user Anandya, asked what medical justification Shkreli can cite to explain the $750 per pill price tag. He answered, "The answer is ‘none,'" and "we haven't yet changed our drug."

    Related Link: Citron: "The Real Problem With Drug Pricing In America Is A Single Word: Valeant"

    The blunt and honest answer was followed up by a statement in which Shkreli expressed hope to "create a more potent pyrimethamine which would be more efficacious and have few side effects (including not requirin folinic acid co-administration)."

    Anandya's response was anything short of epic: "I don't think what you say is possible," he said while offering a complete medical rebuttal and ultimately concluding that Shkreli's plan is "flawed" and would be met with a "big hassle" from the FDA.

    TL;DR

    User catechizer offered a "TL;DR" (too long, didn't read) and ELI5 (explain like I'm five) to translate Anandya's response to simple non-medical terms whose medical knowledge and background is limited: "The same action which makes the drug effective is the exact same action that causes side effects. It's impossible to make this drug stronger while simultaneously reducing the side effects, therefore, OP is full of [expletive]."

    The Reddit community was also told that Shkreli has talked to many HIV and AIDS patients and that "none of them are hurt or will be hurt" by the hike in the drug price. He defended his position and said, "They think I'm charging people $750 per pill even though it costs less than $10 out of their pocket."

    Image Credit: Public Domain

     

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