Martin Shkreli: Scumbag or unsung hero » The potential end of the unregulated drug prices Davie Wong Sports Reporter Ma Shkreli is a name that many have never heard of before September 21. Now the name is on the top of nearly every medical discussion in North America. Why are people talking about this relatively unknown person? Well, Shkreli is actually the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on helping patients who have limited or no effective treatment options. Last week, his company bought the US marketing rights to the 62-year- old drug Daraprim, a drug that helps fight parasitic diseases such as AIDS. Buying the marketing rights to a drug is perfectly normal. Many pharmaceutical companies do it all the time. It’s what Shkreli did after he purchased the right that upset so many people. Immediately after the rights were purchased, Shkreli bumped the price up. Well, bumped isn’t really the most appropriate word to be using considering the fact that the price jumped from $13.50 all the way to $750. That’s a 5,445 per cent increase in price. Shkreli claims that the drug is an “orphan drug,” meaning that it was developed ‘, A specifically to treat rare medical : conditions. He also claims that : the lack of competition in that : area of medicine meant that : there was nothing stopping : them from raising the price of : Daraprim. The money made : will supposedly go towards : researching an improved version : : of the drug. The price hike did not go : unnoticed, however, as users : of the drug quickly turned to : social media to protest the : raise. The protest quickly : caught the eye of the masses, : and, within a day, Shkreli and : his company were under heavy : fire. Even political candidates : took to social media to protest : the spike in the drug price, : with the American Democrats’ Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders pledging to rework the ; pharmaceutical system so this : never happens again. However, the spike revealed : something other than the : injustice of the pharmaceutical : system. It revealed that Shkreli’s : : company is not the first to do : this. In fact, Shkreli’s company : was merely following the long : trend of the pharmaceutical industry. At least three different : The era of unregulated : pharmaceutical companies have : : hiked the prices for their drugs : with the most being a 2,000 per cent increase. Most of these spikes went : unnoticed. It wasn’t until now : and the Shkreli debacle that the : : pharmaceutical tyranny. Photo by Paul Taggart / Bloomberg via NBC news : floodgates opened. Reports of : companies who have done this : in the past are now coming in : almost daily. The prices are not steadily : increased, like a normal : company would do to deal : with inflation. Instead, they : are spiked out of seemingly : nowhere. Now the government : is finally taking notice. Shortly after the Daraprim : news hit its social media high, : two other articles were released : detailing the price spiking of : two other drugs. Democrats in : the House of Representatives : have asked for a subpoena on : the company that owns the : drugs. If the subpoena passes, : the companies must hand over : information about how they : have determined the prices on : their drugs. This could spell disaster : for pharmaceutical and biotech : companies who regularly : raise the prices on their goods : without having to explain : why. While this is bad news : for companies in that area of : business, this is good news for : the buyers of their products. : pharmaceutical drug price : spikes is coming to an end, and : the person to thank for that : is the person that took it one : step too far: Martin Shkreli, : unsung hero of the end to Isn't it 1ronic » How to deal with people who don’t understand sarcasm Elliot Chan Opinions Editor ‘we, S opinions@theotherpress.ca ere is nothing better than someone who doesn’t understand sarcasm. Nothing. If you can’t tell, which so many can't, I was being sarcastic. | say a lot of it relies on irony. In many situations, sarcasm is classified as inappropriate behaviour, as if I’m acting out of line or to offend. I’m not. It’s just my unique way of dealing with an awkward or uneventful scenario. | love using sarcasm to lighten the mood, especially in a social gathering or workplace. Work can get awfully serious if you allow it to, but I won't. So, when someone tells me to do something, I say: “Never, | won't! You do it.” Of course, ’'m not refusing to do my task; I’m merely making light of the task and their authority. I’m pretty much saying that neither you : nor I should take our duties too : seriously. I’ll get to the work as : soon as possible. People who don’t : understand sarcasm are often : those who take everything : seriously. Yes, doctors, lawyers, : and police officers shouldn't : be making jokes during their wouldn't say my sense of humour : Jb, and that’s what makes : them such wonderful satirical is of the highest level. But I would : : characters on television. But, in : reality, not all of us have serious ; jobs—even school is not that : serious when you actually think : about it. Will anybody die if you : don’t finish your project? Maybe : your parents, who invested so : much into your life, but nobody : else. Nobody cares. So have ; some fun. Sarcasm Is a great way to : break the tension. It’s like a little : splash of cold water for those : who are serious. Once they : realize that my little jokes will : not harm them or the task at : hand, they tend to lighten up a : bit. If they don’t, you probably : don’t want to develop any : further relationship with them : anyway. Their lifeis probably a: : straightjacket. You want none of : ; that. Like strong spice or : perfume, sarcasm should : be used sparingly when the : situation calls for it. Over time, : you'll be able to detect when : you are in a situation where you : can use it. It’ll show that you : are carefree yet daring. Nobody : likes a sarcastic douche that : can’t take anything seriously, : just like how nobody likes an : uptight jerk that can’t take or : tell a joke. If you are meeting new : people and you want to : identify who is conversational : in the dialect of sarcasm, : present some irony in a group : environment first. “Wow! I sure : love vegetables at parties.” It : really is like another language, : and if even one or two catches : your drift, they’ll continue the : trend and you'll have suddenly : developed a new channel : of conversation that isn’t as : boring as reading a textbook. : Communication should have : flavour and sarcasm is a unique : spice—and an acquired taste. For those who don’t get it, : luckily for them, they’! learn. : That’s the wonderful thing : about languages: they grow on : people overtime. As long as it’s : presented in a harmless way : that is also engaging, people will : Image via Thinkstock : continue to speak it. According : to Smithsonian magazine, those : who are sarcastic are highly : intelligent, even more than : those who are always sincere. If : you are able to back it up with : hard work, class, and respect, : you don’t have to worry—be sarcastic. Yeah, right...