Vertex: the company that knows how to kill

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For anyone in doubt about the power of multi-national corporations, a recent RTÉ Prime Time should have disabused them of that doubt.

It was just one item of a number dealt with on the edition of the programme, but it was by far the most powerful. It opened with Joe Brolly (yes, that one) talking to camera in Dublin. He was talking about cystic fibrosis and the terrible toll it takes on Irish lives. He was also talking about Orkambi, which is an astonishing new drug that can transform the lives of some of those condemned to suffering  an early death from cystic fibrosis. He visited a mother whose teenage daughter recently died from cystic fibrosis, and the bedroom where all her posters and dolls and little human things are kept as they were when she was alive.

Unfortunately, there’s a catch with Orkamnbi, the miracle drug: money. The company that makes it, Vertex, at present puts its price at €159,000 per patient, which would involve an overall cost for the Irish government of near to €400 million. The Health Service Executive (HSE) says it can afford only €30,000 per patient.

The south’s Health Minister is in talks with Health ministers in other countries like Scotland, Canada and Australia, to see if they can make a concerted stand and pressure Vertex into charging more reasonable prices. Meanwhile the families and friends of those suffering from cystic fibrosis are mounting a lunchtime protest at the Dail today. You could say those affected are holding their breath to see what happens, except that’s the one thing they can’t do: breathe properly.

There are two truly disgusting elements to this story. How much do the Vertex people earn? Well the lowly scientists and project managers make between £42,000 and £63,000. The CEO, however, one Jeff Lieden, gets $45.8 million a year. Yes, Virginia, you read aright – over 45 million green ones. This is the company, as Joe Brolly puts it, which shows the dark underbelly of capitalism. They look the southern government in the eye and say “You don’t want to pay €159,000 per person? Right – we’re off”. You have to take that kind of tough line if you’re going to keep your CEO in the style to which he’s grown accustomed. Yes indeed, Virginia: it’s the old highwayman’s demand: your money or your life. By the way, that’s a picture of Mr Lieden at the top. No wonder he’s smiling.

The other disgusting fact that emerges from this southern government- Vertex face-off is one relating to another giant multinational , Apple. The European Commission has found that Apple should have paid the Irish government around €13 billion in tax. The Irish government have not only refused to accept this money, but are funding the appeal to have the judgement overturned. Why are they doing this? After all, you could afford a fair amount of cystic fibrosis treatment with €13 billion. You might say because the Irish government are stupid and corrupt. But that’s probably excessive. The truth is, the Irish government is waving away Apple’s €13 billion and paying for the appeal because it depends on Apple for jobs. If Apple gets upset, Apple ups and leaves. The highwayman thing again, only this time it’s “We keep the money or you lose the jobs”.

Whatever about Apple, there is no doubt that Vertex, with its monstrously bloated salaries (other senior figures in Vertex get tens of millions in salaries also), is prepared to let cystic fibrosis sufferers in Ireland die.

At the end of the Prime Time programme, a cystic fibrosis sufferer announced today’s Dail protest and appealed for people to attend. Joe Brolly muttered something about the need to march to Vertex’s headquarters. Myself, I’m by instinct if not conviction a pacifist; but this is one case where I think I’d be tempted to show the bloated excuses for humanity who head Vertex the same kind of compassion they are currently showing Irish people in the grip of a deadly disease.

God knows our governments are bad. But this is intolerable.

 

 

 

 

11 Responses to Vertex: the company that knows how to kill

  1. Mark December 7, 2016 at 12:10 pm #

    A question I posed once to our last Minister for Finance, ‘what exactly are we spending tax revenues on’?
    I got the answer, re-paying debt to ECB, I was always a proponent that, where a bad business plan went pear shaped then, the blame lay with those whom had proposed and used it, not those who paid general, and just introduced, taxes.
    If we spent less on europe, bankers and, frankly, other spending we have no requirement to assume, we could easily afford an all Ireland NHS, free at point of delivery.
    This should be where we spend our taxes, saving and improving the lives of our citizens, not gamblers from overseas.

  2. Pointis December 7, 2016 at 1:04 pm #

    This guy is supposed to be a medical doctor!

    What happened to the Hippocratic oath?

    “I will use treatments for the benefit of the ill in accordance with my ability and my judgment, but from what is to their harm and injustice I will keep them”.

    This is an example of everything that is wrong with the pursuit of unfettered capitalism ie the pursuit of greed and obsessive message of the mainstream media and Conservative elements that we should accept that greed is not a bad thing and we should actually laud these people as being successful and as people who should inspire us to be like them.

    The HSE and NHS should actively look for alternative sources of medicines from more ethical sources.

  3. Colmán December 7, 2016 at 1:46 pm #

    Advocates for capitalism would argue that a private company that developes a new product whether it is a drug or medicine or phone, tablet, computer ect. are entitled to charge whatever they see fit.

    This however ignores the amount of investment that the public pumps into the research that makes these products possible. Would Vertex have been able to fund such a drug without the state-funded schools and Universities in the US and indeed all over the world? Would they have been able to fund it without mum and dad’s hard-earned money forked out on tuition fees. As Noam Chomsky has rightly pointed out these companies are completly dependent on the state yet and all they see fit to shaft the public. Would Apple have been able to develope the ipad without the research the Australian government funded to develop wifi? Serious questions need to be asked of ourselves in that we continue to keep a system like this in place through our votes, spending and lifestyles.

    • Ryan December 7, 2016 at 6:17 pm #

      “Advocates for capitalism would argue that a private company that developes a new product whether it is a drug or medicine or phone, tablet, computer ect. are entitled to charge whatever they see fit.”

      They wouldn’t be advocating Capitalism if they didn’t have money. The biggest supporters of Capitalism are those who benefit from it the most.

      Everyone, regardless of background, should be entitled to life saving medicine.

      • Colmán December 8, 2016 at 4:49 pm #

        Many advocates of capitalism are relatively poor. For example the millions of people who voted for conservative parties all over Europe. Did you read the rest of my comment Ryan? I think we are in agreement.

  4. Perkin Warbeck December 7, 2016 at 5:53 pm #

    Had to do a double-take today, Esteemed Blogmeister, on looking at today’s photograph.

    At first glance one thought it was Phil Silvers, but a second, lingering look revealed the absence of anything remotely to do with silver, including hair.

    Rather one found a fellow with a self-worshipping smile who’s filled with it, and whose calves are probably made of gold.

    MISTAKEN NONENTITY

    A funny thing happened on the way to the forum
    Wherein ideas are discussed with due decorum
    No, not Sergeant Bilko !
    A CEO who likes to milko
    The moola: let’s condemn ‘ em to a sanitorum !

  5. Ryan December 7, 2016 at 6:02 pm #

    ” The CEO, however, one Jeff Lieden, gets $45.8 million a year”

    That really is disgraceful. If Lieden was selling drugs at very cheap prices and saving lives in the process then maybe he would be worth that amount of money a year. To put this into context, maybe the most popular sports star in the World at the minute is Irish man Conor McGregor, this guy has the most famous actors, athletes, politicians, etc tweeting him. He has massive actors like Mark Wahlberg saying a movie about McGregor’s life is inevitable. He has possibly the best soccer star of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo, visiting his gym just to train with him. Yet this year by one estimate its said McGregor made $40 million. Lieden has made more. I’m sure others in Vertex have made just as much. I’m sure this is the case in so many other companies too, especially Banks.

    The Governor of the Bank of England recently came out and said that more should be done to make Capitalism work for people, especially those at the bottom. Mark Carney said more and more people are rejecting Capitalism. This is evident all over the world but we can see it mostly in Europe where the EU really is heading to collapse because people are becoming disenfranchised, they are sicken with Banks being bailed out to the tune of billions while they have to suffer austerity to pay for it. On top of this others are made the scapegoats, especially the unemployed and people on benefits.

    My father works in business in Dublin. I remember back in 2010 when I was visiting and it was at a time when the South was in a serious mess. He said if these same bankers/investors that sunk the world into financial chaos lived in the likes of China they would be lined up against a wall and shot on the spot. Maybe that’s what should’ve been done because these scum (and that’s all they are, utter scum) have ruined so many lives and families.

    Lieden is just like those who plunged the world into financial chaos. His greed and arrogance has destroyed so many lives but I’m in no doubt if he continues to refuse life saving drugs to people then the people will simply take them.

    PS: “Myself, I’m by instinct if not conviction a pacifist”

    “Pacifism is objectively pro-fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side you automatically help that of the other” – George Orwell

    “There’s a very heavy burden of proof to be borne by anyone who calls for violence. Maybe it can be sometimes justified. Personally, I’m not a committed pacifist, so I think that, yes, it can sometimes be justified” – Noam Chomsky

    No one likes violence but it IS justified in circumstances.

  6. Wolfe tone December 7, 2016 at 7:37 pm #

    Now you know why the capitalist western countries didn’t want Castro’s ideas and ways to gather traction. He’d have soon put a stop to this medical terrorism. Actions speak louder than fine words…..alas fine words is all the ‘free world’ offers.

  7. Wolfe tone December 7, 2016 at 7:53 pm #

    “My father works in business in Dublin. I remember back in 2010 when I was visiting and it was at a time when the South was in a serious mess. He said if these same bankers/investors that sunk the world into financial chaos lived in the likes of China they would be lined up against a wall and shot on the spot. Maybe that’s what should’ve been done because these scum (and that’s all they are, utter scum) have ruined so many lives and families.”

    Your father was spot on. Again that’s why the west spends so much time demonises China. On Pilgers documentary last nite, ‘the coming war with China’, it was revealed that in 2015 China had produced more billionaires than the U.S that year. Not bad for ‘communist’ country? The only snag with China compared to the west is they don’t tolerate corruption in the banking system etc. A fella, last nite, said the problem with capitalist America is, they allow rich lobbyists to decide the law to the detriment of the people. In China their system cannot allow that to happen I.e just like they don’t allow religious groups to decide government policy; they don’t allow lobbyists either.

    Of course the ‘experts’ on here will challenge what is said about China, but I’ll be honest anyway, and claim I don’t really know a great deal about China. I suspect most on here don’t either no matter what they think.

    • Ryan December 7, 2016 at 11:50 pm #

      “Of course the ‘experts’ on here will challenge what is said about China, but I’ll be honest anyway, and claim I don’t really know a great deal about China. I suspect most on here don’t either no matter what they think”

      I agree with much of what you say Wolfe Tone. When it comes to China, the economy of China is surging because of Capitalist policies, that’s only being truthful. I remember me and a few others talking about China last year in College (night classes). One was a Head Master at a Primary School and he gave me a 10 minute break time lesson on China and its economic policies since the 1980’s. He also said that War between China and the West is inevitable, which I think most of us might agree with.

      China is absolutely brutal when it comes to crime and punishment, that’s obvious going back centuries. Drug dealers get the death penalty for example. They are also bringing in a Law that grown up children must visit their elders at least once a month. Its like that in some other Far East Asian countries too. So China is definitely totalitarian. They control the internet there, many foreigners living in China have been arrested for criticizing the state online. So the likes of Jude’s blog may not be permitted. Same goes in the likes of Saudi Arabia. Its this system is why my father said that if the same financial corruption went on in China then indeed many of those bankers would’ve faced a firing squad. I believe in Iceland they jailed the bankers behind their economic crash, which was a good thing.

      I wouldn’t want to live under the Chinese system but the way the West is heading isn’t much better. Donald Trump said he was going to “drain the swamp” in Washington but by the looks of it already Trump is going to go back on his word. What the West needs is another revolution. Not a Communist one but one that creates a fairer society, more wealth redistribution and one where direct democracy is in place.

  8. James Hunter December 8, 2016 at 10:36 am #

    Great stuff jude