‘Drug company executives are lining their pockets at the expense of some of the most vulnerable families in our nation, ‘ said US Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D-Maryland).
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Let’s recap. Shkreli is the youthful investor whose former company, Turing, acquired the exclusive rights to Daraprim, a generic drug for the parasitic infection toxoplasmosis and raised its price from $13.50 per pill to $750, bringing the total treatment cost to $63,000.
Former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli lashed out at members of a Congressional panel on Twitter just minutes after refusing to answer any questions at the lawmakers’ hearing.
At one point, Chaffetz asked Shkreli if he thinks he did anything wrong.
However, although he couldn’t resist smirking and sniggering at the barrage of criticism he received, he declined to offer any verbal defense; instead repeatedly reading from a prepared statement and citing the Fifth Amendment, invoking his constitutional right against self-incrimination.
Brafman, who told reporters on Wednesday that his client would no longer be speaking to the press until the criminal charges against him were resolved, on Thursday reportedly attempted to deflect how Shkreli came across, saying that much of what was seen could be chalked up to “nervous energy” and that he had meant no disrespect.
“Hard to believe these imbeciles represent the people in our government”, read the tweet.
Valeant has “heard very clearly” public concern over drug prices and is responding, Schiller said in his testimony. He was then arrested for unrelated charges in New York State. The seemingly unethical behavior by Shkreli has earned him many nicknames including “Pharma’s Bad Boy”, “Pharmabro”, etc. Needless to say, the price hike sparked outrage a year ago among patients, medical societies and Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton.
Shkreli did answer “yes” when Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., asked him if he had pronounced his name properly.
Meanwhile, Shkreli continued tweeting, reposting adoring messages from fans impressed by his congressional stonewalling.
On Thursday, Shkreli walked into the packed hearing room well before the session began and met the crush of cameras. She added that the overall impact of the drug on the budget of commercial health plans “is very, very small”.
Shkreli defended the price increase as legal. This week, Shkreli has started a Twitter feud with pop singer Ellie Goulding.
“They (the pharmaceutical companies) will downplay their massive profits by claiming that they help patients who can’t afford their exorbitant prices”.
“You cannot change a person, you can only advise a person”, Brafman said.
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As early as last May, Turing planned to turn Daraprim into a $200-million-a-year drug by dramatically increasing its price, according to documents obtained by the committee.
