Finally, an honest CNBC interview!! EpiPen price gouging discussed!

[SwedishRider]

CNBC interviewed Heather Bresch, CEO of Mylan (drug maker responsible for the run up in price of EpiPens). Instead of giving her the floor to simply give her spin on the situation, CNBC reporter Brian Sullivan grilled her on her role in this price gouging scheme, and raised questions about Big Pharma`s role in a larger context. He even dared ask why Canada and Germany pay about $100 for the same EpiPen that now costs U.S. consumers $600. Her response: Americans subsidize the rest of the world, and the world is better for it.

I`ve never seen CNBC grill a CEO (for fear of losing access to company PR lines), so this was refreshing. I coudn`t find a YouTube video of the full uncut interview (about 18 minutes). But here is the link. If you have 20 minutes to spare, this is well worth the watch!

Watch the complete interview with embattled Mylan CEO Bresch

[Tpr1634]

As a user of this potential life saving medicine it`s total bullsh:t what these drug company`s get away with.

[RaysWay]

But hats off to CNBC.

[SwedishRider]

CNBC took a big risk going after a CEO so aggressively (or Sullivan went renegade and ran with it on live TV). Either way, kudos that She was not allowed to simply spin the interview to fit her corporate talking points.

[Bunky]

Her response: Americans subsidize the rest of the world, and the world is better for it.

But that has nothing to do with the increases in health care costs.

[Ronkh]

Did they say that both she and the company are Clinton Fund Supporters/partners? Or that daddy is a US Senator?

[Bunky]

No surprise to me. Big Pharma owns both parties.

[SwedishRider]

But that has nothing to do with the increases in health care costs.

Not quite sure what you are getting at here, but the fact that our drugs are outrageously priced here vs other countries is a well-known and documented fact. Our high drug costs do subsidize other nations` lower costs, and many lower income American families suffer greatly for it (and would theoretically be better off jumping the Canadian border to get their scripts and then return with them in hand).

The fact that health care costs as a whole are increasing at an alarming rate is also well documented, and while high drug costs are a part of that, I agree they are not the only reason for it. But CNBC`s Sullivan is right in that American families are now seeing high deductible plans (many employer plans are high deductible now) that create a double whammy when non-elective drugs (like EpiPens for children) go up 400% in a short amount of time, which comes right out of the pockets of working families.

[rlmccarty2000]

Everyone needs to write their senators and congressmen to say this is reprehensible and somehow/someway this needs to change. It is theft by deception. They call it price gouging when gas stations raise their prices when stocks are low. Isn`t this way, way worse than overcharging for a gallon of gas?

[Ronkh]

Everyone needs to write their senators and congressmen to say this is reprehensible and somehow/someway this needs to change. It is theft by deception. They call it price gouging when gas stations raise their prices when stocks are low. Isn`t this way, way worse than overcharging for a gallon of gas?

Isn`t gouging on gas illegal as well?

[rlmccarty2000]

Gouging on gas is illegal, but gouging on drugs seems to be legal.

[Middleton4715]

She got her job because of her family name and if her daddy wasn`t in politics then the government would investigate her


I`m sure her dad won`t be a senator in a few years

[trashmanssd]

I like the part where they are working on Passing laws in 30+ states to require restaurants and retail stores and other places to carry EpiPens. Her explanation we`re just trying to save lives, Oh your not just trying to legislate your way to a new market that has no choice and will have to pay full retail price what ever you set that at and get screwed by you? I wonder how all these Schools got "free" EpiPens? quid pro quo, back our legislation forcing business to buy or Epipens and we will have the profits we need to fund a free for schools Epipen program (Wink Wink Nudge Nudge), Now lets go grab a couple thousand dollar diner for me to put on my expense account.

[SwedishRider]

And remember that she moved the company`s headquarters overseas to avoid taxes and a takeover bid... And her father is on record opposing rules that allow companies to move overseas to shield themselves for tax purposes.

I saw saw a follow-up interview with an economics professor who worked in the drug industry, and he said it`s clear she is using EpiPen as a tool to extract huge profits because there is no competition for that drug anymore and most of their other products in the generic side make very little. Oh... and that helps pay her $18 million salary too...

[jtford95]

Big pharmacy companies want you sick period. Yes, they drop help people, but, the more people that need meds, the more they make. Why not use medical marijuana? Because they won`t make enough money off of it