>> AS MANY AS 230,000
OF OUR VETERANS ARE SUFFERING FROM HEPATITIS C.
THERE IS A CURE FOR IT AND THE VA CANNOT PROVIDE IT
BECAUSE IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE.
A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY IS SELLING HEPATITIS C
MEDICATION FOR MORE THAN $1000 PER PILL.
AS A RESULT THE VA JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT.
THE DRUG IS SOLD AS SOFOSBUVIR ñ
THE RETAIL PRICE FOR A 12 WEEK TREATMENT IS $84,000.
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS GETS A 50
PERCENT DISCOUNT.
BUT THEY STILL CANNOT PROVIDE IT TO OUR VETS AND SO VETERANS
ARE DYING FROM HEPATITIS C EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A CURE.
INTERESTING THAT ALL THOSE PRO-LIFE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE SO
CONCERNED ABOUT ABORTION AND VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS, DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT STORIES LIKE
THIS.
THE CURE WAS INVENTED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A DOCTOR IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, BUT AT $1000 A PILL, EVEN
THE VA CAN'T AFFORD TO SAVE THE LIVES OF VETERANS WHO NEED IT.
IN A 2013
TRADE JOURNAL, THE DOCTOR WHO CREATED THIS DRUG SAID IT
ONLY COST ABOUT $1400 TO MANUFACTURE THE FULL 12
WEEK TREATMENT, THAT'S LESS THAN TWO PERCENT OF THE RETAIL PRICE.
>> LET'S UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING.
IT'S NOT LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HAPPENS TO
BE CHARGING THIS PRICE.
THE DOCTOR THAT WORKS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS INVENTED THE DRUG.
IF YOU WORK IN A COMPANY, THEY OWN IT.
BUT THE DOCTOR SAID THAT HE SPENT 7/8 OF HIS TIME AND THAT
IS WHY THEY WERE RIGHT TO PAY ME ALL THE MONEY THAT THEY PAY ME.
THE 1/8 OF THE TIME I WORKED ON MY OWN AND THAT IS WHEN I
DISCOVERED THIS DRUG. THAT IS PRETTY CONVENIENT, RIGHT?
THEN I SOLD IT ON THE PRIVATE MARKET FOR WHICH HE GOT
$400 MILLION FOR IT.
>> THIS IS DISGUSTING.
>> I WANT TO BE FAIR HERE BECAUSE THIS IS THE DOCTOR
THAT CAN CAME UP WITH THE DRUG IN THE FIRST PLACE.
BUT HE ALREADY SOLD THE PILL OFF TO A GIANT PHARMACEUTICAL
COMPANY.
HIS ORIGINAL COMPANY GOT $400
MILLION SO HE IS NOT THE ONE CHARGING THE MONEY ANYMORE.
BUT FOR HIM TO SAY THAT HE WASN'T WORKING AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AT THE TIME- TO SEEM
SKEPTICAL IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
ONLY 15 PERCENT OF THE VETERANS THAT HAVE HEPATITIS C HAVE
RECEIVED THIS TREATMENT.
HE SAYS " I AM SORRY YOU ARE TAKING THIS PERSONALLY."
BY THE WAY, A LOT OF THEM GOT THIS FROM THEIR SERVICE
BECAUSE THEY GOT BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS IN THE FIELD
BECAUSE THEY ARE INJURED AND AND THEY GOT HEPATITIS.
YEAH, I AM TAKING A PERSONAL. I MIGHT DIE FROM THIS THING.
>> PART OF THE REASON WHY
HEALTHCARE COST SO MUCH IN
THE UNITED STATES IS BECAUSE THERE ARE NO COST CONTROLS.
PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES GET TO CHARGE WHATEVER THEY WANT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MARTIN SHKRELI, THAT CLOWN THAT
TOOK THE COST OF A PARASITE DRUG FROM SEVEN DOLLARS TO $7000.
HOW DO YOU AS A CEO OF A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY
SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT THERE ARE 230,000
VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE HEPATITIS C AND
THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THIS
DISEASE BECAUSE YOU ARE A GREEDY PIECE OF SHIT.
HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT?
OH, YOU THINK THAT THESE AMORAL CORPORATIONS ARE JUST GOING
TO DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE THE MARKET IS GOING TO
DECIDE THAT? THEY DON'T CARE.
THIS STORY DRIVES ME INSANE.
>> THEY HAVE A MONOPOLY ON THIS DRUG. WHAT MARKET?
LOOK, IT'S CRONY CAPITALISM.
YOU CLAIM THAT YOU ARE AGAINST IT, BUT IN REALITY THE
REPUBLICANS ARE THE ONES THAT SET THIS UP IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO, WE HATE CRONY CAPITALISM.
LOOK, I HAVE MIXED VIEWS
ABOUT THE DOCTOR.
HE DID A GREAT THING BY INVENTING THE MEDICINE, I
KNOW HE WANTS TO GET PAID, I GET THAT.
BUT THINGS THAT ARE CLEAR ARE THAT WE HAVE A PERVERSE
SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES TO
HAVE ABSOLUTE MONOPOLIES FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME
AND OFTENTIMES THE GOVERNMENT CAN'T EVEN NEGOTIATE WITH THEM.
WE JUST LET THEM CHARGE WHATEVER THEY WANT FOR THINGS THAT
ARE A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.
>>YEAH, WHERE IS BILL O'REILLY AND CARLY FIORINA?
ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE CONCERNED WITH PLANNED
PARENTHOOD.
THEY ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT LIVES, RIGHT? WHERE ARE THEY?
HOW COME THEY ARE NOT OUTRAGED ABOUT THIS STORY.
OH RIGHT, IT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO BUSY FEAR MONGERING
ABOUT MUSLIMS.
>> DON'T EVER PUT A SUPPORT TROOPS RIBBON ON YOUR CAR
IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT THE VETERANS
THAT MIGHT DIE.