The power of the pharmaceutical companies | DW Documentary

How much is a human life worth? An innovative cancer therapy promises to save lives. But it is extremely expensive. Will the insurance companies pay for it? What is the manufacturer's return on investment? And do lobbyists drive up prices?
In 2018, the Kymriah gene therapy was approved in Europe. Immune cells are taken from the patient, genetically reprogrammed into cancer killer cells and returned to the patient as an infusion. The results of the Kymriah study only cover a period of 18 months. In 40 percent of patients, lymph gland cancer does not return during this time. It is not clear whether Kymriah has a long-term effect. The Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis offers the new therapy - it costs 370,000 Swiss francs per patient. Health insurance companies are not usually prepared to pay that much and are complaining about a lack of transparency.
But the killer cells were not invented in the Novartis laboratories, but at a US university. When Professor Carl June started his research almost 30 years ago, no pharmaceutical company was interested. It was only thanks to funding from tax money and donations that he was able to develop Kymriah at all. After a story went around the world about a girl with leukemia whose cancer disappeared thanks to Kymriah, the pharmaceutical company contacted Novartis and secured exclusive marketing rights. To launch Kymriah on the market, Novartis funded the necessary clinical trials. It's not an isolated incident: Over 60% of newly approved medicines in the US are developed by small biotech companies or universities. Pharmaceutical companies today frequently act as capital providers, cooperating with universities or buying up biotech companies.
A paradigm shift has taken place in the pharmaceutical industry: Whereas high drug prices used to be justified by research costs, the industry is now using the value of gained lifetime to argue its case.
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[@adda25]

I’m in awe with the lady doctor for being so honest. She could lose her job, she could be shunned by her colleagues or the insurance companies and yet she’s so brave.

[@B20C0]

Not really, in Europe and Switzerland employee protection is pretty good and the general consensus among doctors is to be critical towards the pharmaceutical industry. You can't just fire somebody for stating their professional or private opinion unless it violates things like hate speech policies or, when it comes to professional opinion, causes harm to patients (e.g. promoting bogus products etc.).

[@pureenergy4578]

She COULD watch this video and teach it: Brain magic, Power of Placebo - Nature of things

[@pureenergy4578]

adda25 Back her up by learning about placebos. We can all heal ourselves.

[@xclzv5900]

She shouldnt fear. She should win the confifence of people and do her research on her own by public funding In turn she can bring medicines at reasonable prices which would be on justified profits and not governed by share market stocks.

[@koiyujo1543]

Yea its amazing that their some people who actually have the guts to try to be honest.

[@SeniorAdrian]

Excellent documentary. Do more on this subject because its a very underrated. You don't usually hear anything from this field on the news.

[@DWDocumentary]

Hey Senior, thanks your comment, we are glad you like the docu :) Best

[@rutvin8763]

@@DWDocumentary Most of the documentaries on this channel are top-notch. Keep up the great work.

[@ratheerapazhanichamy]

@Ruth O well could u share those sources names which has good documentaries

[@SI-ln6tc]

Theres a few documentaries about the pharmaceutical companies on KZbin. Some on the cheap drug companies from India etc.

[@AhatiMaat]

and keep hiring more and more aggressive journalists

[@flowersinherhair]

Rest in Peace, nice Swiss man. I wish his wife and children peace and strength. 💜

[@dellriat9026]

Most of these cancers ,diabetes and other illnesses can be reversed by eating healthy and exercise. Prevention is better than cure, because if we avoid eating too much red meat , alcohol , sugar which causes inflammation , smoking and inactivity, all these contributes to ill health. We all know that cancers and diabetes feeds on an acidic environment ,so avoiding these foods will help you. Your body should be more alkaline where cancers and diabetes starve but if you continue feeding them they are going to keep growing.

[@kwesikwansakennedy2196]

@@dellriat9026 what about inherited cancers?

[@dellriat9026]

@@kwesikwansakennedy2196..We are all born with cells in our bodies, but there are certain foods especially with chemicals and preservatives which can irritates those cells causing certain types of cancers. Our bodies all reacts differently to these agents because you may smoke cigarettes all your life and nothing happens and another smoke for a couple years and he or she is diagnosed with cancer.

[@airsickspace9272]

@@dellriat9026 it’s more complicated than that. Like there are some people have genes that make their chances of cancer extremely high. Eating healthy and having a healthy life style can help prevent but it’s no certainty. Cancer is a tricky one. Also some people never get cancer and can have terrible habits. But terrible habits tend to lead to a higher chance of cancer. But diet and healthy life style habits are one aspect there are thousands of others.

[@whathey3113]

Amen

[@_oceanman]

I only wish everyone perfect health to all reading this.

[@GinaCarden]

That’s a nice sentiment but 1 out of 2 people will get cancer of some sort in their lifetime (on average). Look after yourselves people! And support cancer research. Even the healthiest of us can be taken down by it

[@KatariaGujjar]

@@GinaCarden I've only known 1 person out of hundreds of my relatives who ever got cancer.

[@NinaLetizia]

Thank you! Same for you. Food is the best medicine, it all starts there... and not eating animals, my humble belief.

[@feh7854]

Life depends on nourishment, self care and self love.

[@blazinvenus3914]

Very kind of you! Wish you the absolute same😊😊

[@nofacenocase7648]

"19 days later, he dies" that was very heartbreaking 🌠

[@AnkitSingh-gf1zb]

Yeah i rewinded 2 times to be sure

[@rflan7766]

@@AnkitSingh-gf1zb same here

[@learningmaster8060]

The chemo drug would have killed him. Instead if had opted for natural cure via better food and exercise, he would have lived another 3 decades very healthy.

[@aandrews9141]

Oh no... I haven't even made it that far yet... and I had just said a prayer to please let this man be cured to be here with his family. Then I read this comment... pharmaceutical companies and the entire medical industry are so cruel in some parts of the world. 😭

[@mrSam3ooo]

@AAndrews are there parts of the world where this treatment is covered by the health insurances or less pricey?

[@idil4657]

I really appreciated how pressing the interviewer was towards the pharmaceutical representatives, felt like a true news coverage!

[@jitlv]

RIP Michael. No more suffering, no more pain.

[@graselnaupo6285]

rest in peace brother michael

[@felixotieno.1771]

“19 days later, he dies.” I found myself in tears.

[@babytho.4006]

That is why treatment people tell us No Guarantees!

[@yoshiagirgis4201]

There is no cure for greediness of pharmaceutical companies

[@disrael2101]

It's like that in every private company out there , what do you think facebook or apple are any different

[@yoshiagirgis4201]

@@disrael2101 That is generally true, but the difference in the case of pharmaceutical companies is that human life is at stake. Also greed is one of the root causes of climate change and extreme weather that affected the lives of millions arround the world.

[@disrael2101]

@@yoshiagirgis4201 yes that's true but the internet also helps save life just in a different more subtle way through faster communication and knowledge sharing etc.. it doesn't seem like the system gonna change though as most people seems to accept and may even like it the way it is right now

[@yoshiagirgis4201]

@@disrael2101 I agree with you that internet helped in saving life through faster communication and knowledge sharing but at the same time caused the loss of life of others because of false information, fake news and hate messages of terrorists and extremists. There is a need to help people to change their way of thinking to love their neighbors and apply the golden rule that Jesus taught "All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them"

[@KatariaGujjar]

@@disrael2101 Many private companies are not for profit

[@Cristina-gi3ko]

I really love this documentaries it's very heartbreaking to see how companies earn money from the desperation of the people and their loved ones DW keep doing this documentaries they are priceless.

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi @Cristina, Thanks for watching and taking the time to share your thoughts. We appreciate your positive feedback. Best, The DW Documentary Team

[@stop5730]

I believe that the pharmaceutical companies are still in a way losing money from this. You have to consider that they are the only ones trying to find cures for orphan diseases. Someone has to pay the price wether it's the individuals or the government, or else no one will be working on them.

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

@@stop5730 they don't lose anything

[@untitled795]

@@stop5730 Stop, your ignorance is showing.

[@stop5730]

@@untitled795 What is there to even be ignorant about? It seems logical that a catalogue of wide consumer drugs is what’s bringing money. They also have a lot of generics and biosimilars for a reason, they require less research while the outcome has already been verified. Milking millions of dollars from a very few desperate people is really not what gets pharmaceutical companies running.

[@MsKariSmith]

When you look deep enough in all things human, you will find GREED! That is the worst disease....greed.

[@diluknishanthasooriyabanda3558]

Yes, it's indeed. But it's very few who can understand this.

[@TeaParty1776]

@Eternal Atake Greed is anti-humanist code for the nihilist hatred of a rationally productive purpose to ones life. Drug addicts, religionists and Leftists are not "greedy."

[@bill4056]

greed for profit. its sooo expensive. but it is not guarranteed that it will be cured.

[@thisplaceisntreality5385]

lust creates greed

[@pureenergy4578]

Greed depends of the concept of death. Death does not exist, so therefore greed can fly away.

[@johnpatrick1588]

So the US taxpayers/govt paid for university invention of a drug. Then the drug seems promising and a pharma company pays school hundreds of millions plus royalties for the drug. The patients/insurance companies get to pay hundreds of thousands for a dose of the drug which taxpayers initially paid to discover. What a system.

[@abdullahawan781]

It's Pathetic status Quo.. Need to rectify it but who will take intuitive.

[@feh7854]

It needs reform

[@AHD2105]

Well you'd think the US government and taxpauers would want their money back from the sale or the right to have free or subsidised access to the drug.

[@tanelijah1]

You do realize that the initial discovery is just a miniscule amount compared to the cost associated with developing it right? What is most expensive is the cost of clinical trials with up to thousands of subjects for drugs that are not for rare diseases.

[@AHD2105]

@@tanelijah1 oh well in that case....

[@kristinanedeljkovic5476]

Whenever I have time, I look up DW documentaries. Classy, great investigation journalists, non-biased, not afraid of controversy. PS. Don't watch these to relax, you will not.

[@asperneto]

True... such topics are definitely not for relaxation. Makes you more anxious about the future 😕

[@madhaze3670]

@@asperneto Yes this is true , but we live in a world now where too many ignore information they don't want to hear. This allows our problems to grow .

[@pureenergy4578]

This video is what everybody needs to watch: Brain magic, Power of Placebo - Nature of things

[@mdungethulile]

Ok I knew a guy in college who needed surgery non critical. So this guy was born in India and still had family over there. The surgery was so pricey here in the US , that guy decided to take a flight to India and have the surgery over there then came back to campus.

[@dilshaddavood786]

There is a thing called medical tourism here in India, Foreigners gets their surgeries done with low cost at the same time with the same quality available in their home country. Apparently its cheaper to take a vacation and get your surgery done in India than to pay for surgery in their home country.

[@disrael2101]

@@dilshaddavood786 it's also the same with pills I've been told.. as there's no monopoly laws there.. will it come to genetic engineering as well?

[@karthikn8536]

@@disrael2101 As per Section 3(d) of Indian Patents Act, 1970 - if its a situation of high human lives vs high cost of medication+exclusivity rights, then human lives takes precedence and govt has the power to give our generic companies to make medication which are cheaper. I've only paraphrased the law and the way it is interpreted by Indian courts and govt. Please see wikipedia on Novartis, Gilead cases in Supreme Court of India for more details and research more on this. Apologies in advance if I've quoted something wrong.

[@disrael2101]

@@karthikn8536 someone told me that patent drugs in usa like hiv for exmaple are sold super cheap in india.. but I understood u correctly, u say that the same patents laws applied in India same as in the us? No free open market for everyone to buy? What about black market for expensive drugs for a very cheap price from competitors (like fake brand clothes market is very wide spread there), maybe that's what the guy who told me this meant when he said u can get expensive drugs in india for real cheap?

[@karthikn8536]

@@disrael2101 In the US, its possible to "evergreen" a patent - companies tweak the formulae of the medicines slightly and let their patents stay on forever claiming its an innovation. However in India, the courts and the Parliament clearly stated that a product is considered to be an innovation only if there is a marked changed in the product formula. Not just adding some extra amount of one of the components. There are some cases of fake medicines, but given that the prices of the generics are actually super cheap - the so called black market is kinda small. Govt has opened medical stores which sell cheap generics across the country to fight the fake medicines though

[@RAVIYASH100]

I lost my father due to Multiple-Myeloma. We spent all our saving money, my Mom sold all her gold for my Dad's treatment. But cancer won the battle. Our heart was broken, we felt cheated...

[@loulou4148]

Sorry to be reading this, not only have you lost your Dad, your Mum and your Family have lost sentimental and future support system to fall back on! Shambles, the corrupt pharma companies should be ashamed of themselves!

[@lindagibson744]

To put things into prospective, The Holy Bible declares that we die because of SIN, we just don't know when or how we are going to die. The Bible declares that we are made from the dust and we will return to the dust. The wages of SIN is death, but, the GIFT OF GOD is ETETNAL LIFE through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD and SAVIOUR. We have to believe in God, confess our sins, repent and receive Jesus into our hesrts and lives.

[@Indrauta]

@@lindagibson744 stop this missionary work.

[@lindagibson744]

@@Indrauta truly, truly, I am so sorry for your loss. We all experience sorrow in our sojurn on this earth. May you be comforted.

[@lindagibson744]

I loss my mom more than 5 years ago from heart and kidney failure. It has been a great loss for us.

[@amineyakhafallah1872]

As some one who work for a pharmaceutical company , I wish the documentary also included people who work for them . We are paid little to nothing to make / sell/ transport this medicament while they make huge profits on the suffering of the patients and the hard work of the workers

[@fvfr6294]

That's why I quit lol

[@kiwitrainguy]

Sign on a striking picket line reads: "We work, you work, they profit".

[@shawnleong3605]

Please quit and stop being part of the problem that kills so many people

[@madfoxcityemnau6414]

Yes, it would be nice to hear that perspective!

[@kiwitrainguy]

34:05 "Is this about profit or saving lives?" Pharmaceutical companies exist primarily to make money. When he was answering I couldn't help but think of Arms manufacturers as well, making money out of death and injury.

[@weeyakkawonga6243]

Thanks For Not Disabling The Comment Section because there will be a lot of information to learn here...

[@helenclark3627]

Eating healthy means living. When peoples ingest red meat cancer cells are inevitable. Dont eat or purchase animal products that have red meat.

[@DEEJAYNH10]

@@helenclark3627 there is nothing called red meat and white meat it's all the same , eating meat that is slaughtered in a healthy way (halal) is the key for healthy meat consumption , not eating too much of anything , ate more of what is produced in your area is what healthy eating is .Meat is good bad , veggies are good and bad .Moderation and clean eating is what you should aim for.

[@elshazlio]

They should not be thanked for doing that like it's some rare privilege. It should be the norm.

[@Q_QQ_Q]

@False Realityslayerlawlesspath exactly . big corporations are evil .

[@vpaczkowski]

Actually dairy is the worst for your health but meat consumption in excess causes cancer and red meat even in moderation still causes cancer. Petrochemicals also cause cancer. Be careful of where you live, don't use plastic and eat organic vegan diet

[@Coolguy125ful]

It is so refreshing to have DW’s journalists aggressively question suspects of wrongdoing rather than playing a more passive role. You can tell that, throughout the course of the documentary, the journalists develop concern and sympathy for the victims.

[@pjflynn]

Thank you, DW for publishing. My trust in my daily fasts and healthy habits has increased. I am in my mid-seventies and am convinced that reducing as much inflammation as possible is my best friend in health care. I stopped taking prescribed medicines over two years ago and feel very well and have recuperated my agility of old.

[@miriamduali8495]

I also am revitalizing from regeneration of my cells with natural foods

[@os2841]

I am fasting by eating one meal a day as well, in my 30's. Feeling great.

[@pureenergy4578]

Somewhere in your thinking you believe you are perfect already and need none of their expensive pills. Have you watched the video Brain magic, Power of Placebo - Nature of things Or have you read the book HANDS OF LIGHT written by the physicist Barbara Brennan ?

[@oburaluka7621]

@@pureenergy4578 where can I access those videos and the book please?

[@magentapurple8823]

@@oburaluka7621 online

[@louisetaylor2131]

Negotiates the price for life ... and we are supposed to be civilised

[@berryberrykixx]

In the words of Mona Haydar, "If that's civilized, I'd rather stay savage".

[@dadikkedude]

It's a business, not for the benefit of the people they serve but their own. That's just the fundamental idea of capitalism for you. I believe that things like healthcare and food should be exempt from this idea.

[@louisetaylor2131]

@@dadikkedude yes I agree, mind you, it doesn’t quite gel with idea that they are doing everything they can to ‘supposedly’ shut down world economies to save people. .... more like to fill their coffers with vaccines that cannot have been tested properly

[@albertawheat6832]

@@appliedcommonsense4735 I would go with the assumption, That corporate greed has poisoned everything beneath your feet as well as the surface and the air. These people have put mankind on the precipice of extinction. Just my opinion.

[@albertawheat6832]

@@appliedcommonsense4735 I 100 % agree with all you said, I wish more people realized what is really going on around them....I think the illusion of becoming rich is strong in people.

[@isacadc4552]

There must be a balance . The companies need money in order to innovate. But the medicine prices right now, especially in us are ridiculous.

[@nefinerf]

Keep in mind also that there is a lot of public money involve in research. I have always thinking about if the goverments could manufacture some drugs

[@QANGOR]

Yeap....they dont know how to spell balance but they know how to spell Michael Douglas saying: G R E E D

[@feh7854]

Crony capitalism

[@davidarundel6187]

My understanding is, that most new drugs come from small company's or university's. Once the drug proves promising, in come the Pharmacutical company's to market the drug. The Pharmacutical company's, are after max-profit, for minimal outlay ; remember the HIV/AIDS drugs when they came out, at near to $3,000.00 per month, same thing just mentioned here, with cancer drugs. Get rid of the Bankers, Lobbyists, Arrogant Biochemists and Greedy company EXECUTIVES, & their political pets, who are nothing more than lilly liveried cowards. You can bet your bottom dollar, that were the abouve mentioned to contract Cancer, or similar, then there would be drops in prices. It's time to Socialise Medicine, so everyone gets a fair shake & a better deal from big pharma. It's one reason I like New Zealands drug purchasing agency & our access to hospitals if needed, and should anyone reading this have been to NZ & had to use the health services, most of the cost will have been met by the local residents & the Accident Compensation Corporation - I know there's been forigeiners have had those benifits, when visiting here, & haveing had an accident while here - all FREE, as New Zealanders pay the greatest part of the costs, via taxes.

[@ilynpayne7491]

2 million dollars for drugs man I'd rather die than be a burden to my family

[@priyankachellappan5029]

Universe is listening to you son don't talk negative...

[@julicole4636]

I as well I would be concentrating on premium 5-star pain relief enjoy what time I had left,children and the young I would carry the burden for.

[@hundun5604]

Yes, and meanwhile I would try Rick Simpson's treatment. 2million for a 2 to 5% success-rate treatment isn't worth it.

[@booblam6919]

Dont say that...keep on living

[@GuillermoFretuchino637]

Ye. Pharma must working for free. Like in USSR. You can die easly

[@milchshake4162]

HEALTH IS WEALTH, BE GREATFUL TO BE ALIVE AND WELL. 🙏🏾✨

[@sabofx]

DW (re)defines what it means to do investigative journalism. I love your professional, independent, critical, often daring and always honest documentaries about interesting and relevant topics. Words cannot express how grateful I am ❤❤❤. You make this world a better (informed 😉) place!

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi @SABO FX, thanks a lot for watching and for your kind words. We're glad you find our content important and informative! 🙂👍

[@sabofx]

@@DWDocumentary I meant every word :-)

[@666Metalbassist]

As someone who works in the public sector in the pharmaceutical industry, this documentary made me much more apprehensive about the nature of my work. Not that I get much say as just a low level researcher, but still I see some of these things first hand. It will be interesting to see if the gene therapy we are developing goes on to be twisted arm and leg on someone's dying family members.

[@Lousy_Bastard]

Isn't this covid vaccine gene therapy?

[@papapeethehunks]

This should get millions of views across the world.

[@mimmadifelice3817]

Excellent documentary!! Please please I would love to see documentaries on protocols for alternative treatment against cancer! We need the truth ... we need to make the right choices and be less reliant on dangerous life-threatening medications! Please help us as I believe deeply that cancer can be prevented and even cured without drugs or surgery. Nature is the one and only healer!

[@lastking235]

Insurance is the problem... when a hospital refuses to show you the costs of your own treatment, you know they're inflating prices for treatment. Then when you're off insurance or if your condition is not covered, then you can't afford anything...the investors also own all the stock, Hospital stock, Pharmaceutical stock and Insurance company stock. It's a freakin scam.

[@nefinerf]

don`t talk about a public health system unless you will became a comunist.Kappa

[@dadikkedude]

@@nefinerf Because this works right?

[@briovanmerlin2408]

I don't think to prevent the cancer is rely to any insurance company, they are existed for the profit and we are exist to take care ourselves.

[@forthdimension686]

You can have all the stock too with Robinhood.

[@disrael2101]

Why the insurance companies allow them to inflate the price though as they have to pay it.for the clients after all or

[@daroofisonfire6370]

rest in peace mikael, i will not forget ur story

[@lailahare1424]

I am glad I found this documentary. I am doing a research paper against Big Pharma, and specifically their control over out preclinical and clinical physicians. But now after watching this I realize it goes deeper than just the doctors prescribing the medication and receiving incentives. I will have to alter my thesis a bit. This was a great documentary to learn from.

[@abdullatif4795]

Any help in your this reserch thesis i can help ,help in sense i am doctor here in pakistan i can share some general iNformation about pharma and clinincians etc

[@darija5494]

God help us if we need to rely on such experts as your thesis relying on this source of information 🙈!

[@walterwhite8146]

Hey yk it will sound stupid but a thought came in my mind that the human biology that is been taught to the students could also have been manipulated in such a way that would make the pharmaceutical industry profits ❤️

[@CMVMic]

Look into antineoplastons

[@Jaykay586]

DW always make exceptional documentaries and Karin Bauer and her crew deserve awards for this work...

[@annewelch1260]

Thanks DW there are other media companies that would be unwilling to make a documentary like this. You are a brave company. Continue to expose the greed of the big pharmaceutical companies. This is disgraceful.

[@DWDocumentary]

Thanks Anne for your comment, stay tuned!

[@Geemeel1]

Mind blowing episode!! .. Wow.... Also big round of applause for the camera work/director!! Did this episode won an award? it should!

[@kimhoaho2334]

Thanks for an excellent documentary! I was very sad at Michael's death, very shocked at the price and very disappointed at the way they bring science discoveries into life. I'm a PhD student working on cancer research and at the institute, our scientists work really, really hard (with the pay much less than in industry) on challenging projects. One big motivation for us, or at least for me, is that we are contributing something to help patients in their fight against cancers. It's really sad and disappointed to know how difficult it is for the patients to get what was invented for them.

[@LugalKiEn2126]

I actually know a cancer researcher who quit and started working in a different industry altogether teaching exercise. Always thought it was strange.

[@koiyujo1543]

@@LugalKiEn2126 wow that's nuts

[@CMVMic]

Ever heard of antineoplastins?

[@draw7621]

I'm an engineering manager for a pharma firm. I'll break it down for you. Cures like this one are a result of years of investment, frequently running into the billions. Investments require investor's. Most of the biggest investor's know nothing or care nothing for pharma. They Just want to make money. So the pharma firms must price to make the billions of investment back, to continue to attract investment, and in turn, discover more cures.

[@Jakabokbotch2nd]

Life is priceless but it's pricey to maintain life

[@testaccount4191]

Life always has a price.

[@rutvin8763]

Price is lifeless, but it's lively to maintain price.

[@booblam6919]

@@testaccount4191 no such thing

[@GuillermoFretuchino637]

Do you work for free? Maybe you are ready to make your job free to pharmaceuticals and pay their bills?

[@thor4164]

Nonsense

[@taranpreetkaur8303]

Wowww what a documentary, i just loved it. Human life doesn't matter in any field it's just profit and greed.

[@NinaLetizia]

Thank you DW! What an excellent documentary, please keep on investigating and bringing these issues to light.

[@DWDocumentary]

Thank you! We're glad you liked the documentary.

[@rationalmind3567]

Where I come from India, there are ample of pharmaceutical companies located, some of them are exclusively focused on exports, but the salary they pay is very less with the too-long working hour. further, there is a strong nexus of pharmaceutical companies with doctors. Doctors here receive a good share from such companies to recommend their drugs this is what I have heard.

[@hamzaiftikhar1229]

medical labs also give comission to doctors for recommendation

[@kiwitrainguy]

I have a packet of Paracetamol and another one of Ibuprofen. Both were manufactured in India.

[@xclzv5900]

Yes there is a corrupt nexus and lobbying for their business. Also funding politicians for their election campaigns to halt their investigations against them. These all are being done for decades. These doctors study on public funding Which shouldnt be allowed if they dont sign a contract to work for the good of people. Also they are free to take education loans and study in pvt medical colleges. And they should be stopped giving subsidies if they dont work for public. Vigilance in all those hospitals and cctv cam would compel them to do work or the party in power should be replaced with other party to get the things done. No trust should be done on these crook professionals.

[@akhileshkumar9678]

Novartis: I looked at the document you sent me. The document is full of incorrect information. Reporter: Then give me the correct information. Novartis: We can't do that 🤷‍♂️ They are so unimaginative even with their lies.

[@p.b4287]

Novartis is one of the more reliable Pharma internationally. Worked inside the organisation and would hesitate not a second to joint them today. They do have morals, respects harmonizing and good clinical practice. But they must invest insane amounts of money to carry on joining innovative projects and local deals.

[@trafficjon400]

What lies?

[@trafficjon400]

@@p.b4287 ?

[@shirleyxu7547]

People can choose not to get the treatment, or alternative medicine, right?

[@MarieAntoinette2011]

This is an excellent documentary. Thank you DW. I now find myself facing a similar challenge and I'm in my thirties. Are there no cancer charities willing to help people like me anymore?

[@henrysmith1464]

The brutal part of humanity. No words, no thinking. Just pray for all the souls at peace.

[@kariukindegwa9616]

It's a pity this is happening in a '1st world' country. I live in Kenya and we may not have the best healthcare, but everyone gets treatment and affordable medicine to all...simply because every working body contributes a little, monthly, towards narional insurance health fund.

[@OWI___d]

IT'S A PITY MOTHER'S STILL CANT PAY FOR DELIVERY IN HOSPITALS TUSIDAGANYANE NANI

[@sharzie2800]

@@OWI___d yeap expectant mothers esp if they are poor have it rough in this country 💔

[@toddlavigne6441]

other countries manage to keep prices in check, so it is possible, like Kenya, but we are talking about a brand new medicine

[@entropicpedro]

Stop lying.... consultation and maybe basic lab tests for the usual diseases is free but wait till you go the pharmacy, you're told that there are no drugs and you have to go buy your own...

[@TeaParty1776]

> we may not have the best healthcare Nothing more need be said.

[@ghulamjilani378]

Thanks DW for such great documentaries. I also work in a pharmaceutical company. But the bitter truth is that they only care for their own profit.

[@Lexomm1]

"Profit comes before life?" "You can't ask that question." Yes, you can absolutely ask that question, and to this murderous industry, it is YES, PROFITS OVER LIVES. He knows he is amoral, despicable. Probably vomits when he sees himself in a mirror.

[@NoNopeAndNo]

I think he loves himself. The vomiting will start if he was to become sick himself

[@JustScrapHD]

the reason why you cant ask that question is because saving lifes literally makes profit. Yes, the corperation has profit as priority because it works in a market system but the reason why pharma corperations make profit is because they save lifes... its not that black and white, people.

[@jillishan]

@@JustScrapHD I totally agree and it is a shame to see few respond to this the way you did. The pharma corperations must continue to make profits in order to continue saving lives. Should they be allowed to make as much money for themselves as they do? Perhaps not, but that is an issue of capitalism not drug companies.

[@JustScrapHD]

@@jillishan exactly. People should ask for policy regulations and adjust their voting behaviour, not blame individual companies as if a company has a conscience...

[@1LaOriental]

But that is capitalism. The profit motive, plain and simple.

[@phelixphelix227]

“19 days later he died” it broke my heart hearing that 😭😭😭

[@koshinahmed5668]

😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@felicianomario]

I appreciate the bravery and frank questions the reporter is asking.

[@whomeverwherever]

Hospitals and pharmaceutical companies: “wait, you have INSURANCE? The price will be at least 7x more then.” (US government reality). There is the problem....yet it’s ignored.

[@QANGOR]

Wow

[@chanchan5349]

It's the same with homeowners insurance. Must have it bc you can't get a home loan without it, but boy hang on if you must use it. Auto insurance, ditto. Healthcare insurance? Ditto x 100

[@disrael2101]

Why they raise the price when you've insurance though?

[@yeout4386]

thats why in surtain cases the goverment needs to put in price caps to prevent the prices from spiraling out of control

After this video I start to doubt the nationalising health insurance is best idea... maybe we should start with nationalising of drug research, production and distribution....

[@aussiert]

Insurers are all muggers as well. The combination of pharma and insurers is lethal.

[@vinaygupta5234]

Very nice documentary. I read a little bit about the killer cells research but it has advanced so much is really good to know. I request to do a follow up documentary as well.

[@eloimumford5247]

Shedding light as DW is doing is a very good start for change , thanks for sharing.

[@tyiffpeijc8702]

34:12 "the existential justification of a private company is to generate profit" / "and that comes before life?" / "you can't really ask that question" You can't really ask that question? Why? Because it makes you uncomfortable?

[@laurensa.1803]

Companies are not there to help people. It is pretty naive to think that...

[@Nate-dv5dp]

Capitalism is not perfect.

[@dadikkedude]

@@laurensa.1803 companies are there to help themselves, growth is all that counts because we're artificially pushed to compete. No objective reason for it, but it's for motivation?

[@BrickworksDK]

@@Nate-dv5dp "Capitalism is not perfect." Understatement of the year...

[@Nate-dv5dp]

@@BrickworksDK It should all be about balance. Socialism has proven it can be even more disastrous. I think the Scandinavian countries are an excellent example of this. Free market with excellent social programmes.

[@semerederibe1163]

Thank you so much DW for such informative documentaries.

[@johnpatrick1588]

My father's pancreatic cancer treatments including experimental things cost over US$1.5 million before he died.

[@bikeshmehta2002]

A patient cured is a customer lost. - Every Pharmaceutical Company

[@lukibenjamin741]

guys you are the best. hope your documentaries help many people.

[@sutapamazumdar1338]

DW you always exceed my expectations. Thank you for this excellent content. Pharmaceutical companies always remained a mystery to me. This video has shed light on a different aspect that I would spend time thinking on it. More such insightful videos from the medical world would be great :)

[@p.b4287]

I won't get the real struggle. It must remain confidential at all cost of a competitor will steal the patent and get profits belonging to the creator. This is essential in research. Integrity

[@haparcheledupwar]

except theyre anti jews/israel

[@katherinemoorhead338]

Our legislatures have failed us for decades.

[@raghdafakhry1152]

It's for all of us, thinking we want more in life, health is everything

[@jinsakai2562]

Thanks DW for This Documentary. It really Helped Me See Things More Clearly.

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi @BahaEddine Ben Elouaer, Glad it helped! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Best, The DW Documentary Team

[@andreigrigoras5264]

DW Documentary Thank you for all the work you do !!!

[@DWDocumentary]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@lechenaultia5863]

This is real (excellent) journalism, thank you

[@clivend]

please keep on this tremendous work, thanks!

[@merchantassociates6437]

Are you saying to Pharmaceutical cos or DW?? 😅😅😅

[@clivend]

@@merchantassociates6437 ahah DW!

[@kelleybrown1666]

Very touching. Thanx 4️⃣ upload

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi @Kelley Brown, Thanks for watching and commenting. Best, The DW Documentary Team

[@demoncloud6147]

In my country (some Asian 3rd world place) big pharmas gift (bribes) doctors with cars, apartments, air conditions and cash to prescribe their medicine. There are these dudes called Medical Promotion Officers who monitors the prescribed medicine by the doctors, offer sales commissions for prescribing their medication and diagnostics. Doctors will give unnecessarily drugs to patients

[@V.E.D.A.N.G]

Where are you from ?

[@disrael2101]

@@V.E.D.A.N.G thailand india malsaya etc

[@jo-vf8jx]

That happens in the USA too. Honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it happens all over the world in some form or another.

[@demoncloud6147]

@@V.E.D.A.N.G Well, I usually hide my country's identity, since I can't stand it, I wish I was born somewhere else. I prefer calling myself earthling and recognize the planet earth as my home. I don't recognize geopolitical borders

[@rationalmind3567]

In India also it happens, I have heard from my family members working in the medical industry.

[@abrahamdecruz5128]

Superb documentary. At the early stage it seems profit is more important than life. More medical documentaries please on research and drugs for dementia, delusion, alzheimer's disease, diabetes, research for a diabetic pill etc etc etc

[@DWDocumentary]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!

[@sarahflynn5762]

Another great documentary! Thank you

[@brunohill3229]

Excellent documentary covering a lot of issues here.

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi @bruno hill, Glad you thought so, thanks for watching and commenting. Best, The DW Documentary Team

[@ceea6430]

This makes me really grateful that I live in the UK where healthcare is free. I pray that everyt=one reading this has perfect health.

[@chloebeary]

Healthcare is not free, it’s paid for by taxes that people pay into.

[@Amazing_Mark]

@@chloebeary Translation: it is FREE.

[@kole1ful]

@@chloebeary lol....a true American. We the taxpayers are happy to continue paying for all of us (including the jobless) to receive healthcare for free a the point of delivery. We don’t even mind paying more 🤗🤗

[@chloebeary]

@@Amazing_Mark If you are paying taxes, it is not free, nothing in life is free. For paying taxes, we better be getting healthcare, it is our right.

[@chloebeary]

@@kole1ful I agree everyone should be getting healthcare, but it is not free, it is paid for by our tax dollars.

[@DrSirmacek]

I believe all medical support must be free. We need to change our systems.

[@chloehennessey6813]

No. If you did that it would hurt the medical advancements we get yearly in the US. It should be affordable though. Big pharmacy needs to be reigned in better so they’re not charging $500 for a vial of Insulin that cost them $35 to make. I’ve been to the US twice for orthopedic surgery because they couldn’t do it in Canada. You’re put on a wait list and it’s the government that decides if your case is treated. They have an allotment of 10 orthopedic surgeries a month. Do you want government deciding what care you need or do you want health professionals deciding?

[@sliverhalo9286]

We need somewhere in the middle. Not free not overpriced, nobody is working on this, it’s terrible

[@julieisthatart]

You are SO RIGHT! This system is wrong people make medical needs their form of profit in the free enterprise system.? Puleeze. Why are people fooled by this commercial idea? Sure, we all believe a highly profitable insurance industry, and a highly profitable pharmaceutical industry, and a highly profitable hospital industry, and a highly profitable medical equipment industry, and probably a very long list of other profit mongers are truly interested in people being healthy and having good medical support when needed. Isn't it obvious that profit is not appropriate when it comes to health needs. Why are people not in favor of having a change? When it comes to health, the practitioners need to be paid by the year not by the procedure. A reasonable income and that is all. No profit from sufferings! Thank you for saying it.

[@drgarad]

Greed is what is motivating these companies to keep producing and if you make it free it`ll kill the advancements, but also these prices are unbearable, it would be good to be regulated to keep their prices minimum like the Chinese government is doing.

[@alex123case]

I believe everything should be free. Wooohoooooooo free, its so easy. 🙈

[@fzka_]

Such an amazing documentary! Love it! it's heartbreaking when people are now becoming more materialistic till they place money before life.

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi @Fadyozuka, Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. Best, The DW Documentary Team

[@sethasamoah2553]

One of the few media houses that airs the truth. You've done it once more #DWdocumentary Bravi!❤

[@johnpatrick1588]

A company invented a hepatitus C cure and was going to sell the 84 pill treament for US$30k or so. Gillead bought the company and sells the treatment for US$84k. There are insurance companies that will not pay for it until the customer needs and even more expensive liver transplant.

[@rrajan5476]

Greed.

[@rrajan5476]

Merciless greed, but they don't realise all greed will end up in disaster

[@theknightofcaduceus5248]

@@rrajan5476 Sometimes, making a medicine implies a lot of complex processing that cost lots of money. But, in your part, it's true.

[@plantmama7442]

Pure evil & greed

[@Lookkiiiii]

Keep in mind, there are 100s of scientists and associates coming up with the formula. If it is a novel disease, it takes up to 10 years to develop. The scientists spend every day perfecting it. The pharma pays salary to those employees for 10 years, they purchase machines to aid the employees, there are so many expenses that come with that medication. Once your in the lab, you start to understand the work and the money that goes in it…

[@phamthohongduong]

did you watch the video? the part with former manager at N company, research, and other numbers included

[@elshazlio]

Very powerful documentary

[@kamgarraway9254]

How a life saving treatment priced so remarkably high that those in need of it can’t even come close to affording it is unnerving. Making death a certainty.

[@dannyhughes4889]

A close relative of mine was Sales Manager of a branch of a well known International Pharmaceutical Company. He had no Medical qualifications and just regurgitated what the Company 'line' was in regard to each product being pushed. A large part of his days was spent on golf courses with Doctors and other 'deciders' giving them a good time with the expectation of lucrative orders.

[@janeywilcox6821]

Fascinating documentary! Thank you, DW!

[@aliafaaqkhan2176]

so, in order to understand a patients perspective for a CEO of a pharma co. first they need to retire and then become a cancer patient themselves.

[@katherinemoorhead338]

Ironically Mortimer Sackler died from Cancer. Mastermind of marketing Valium, then Oxycontin

[@shanevalentine5757]

This is so touching.

[@xotoxpv]

Amazing work DW.

[@Randomvideos-yr6cc]

More people need to watch these kind of videos. Also they should join together on various social media platforms to put pressure on governments so they can keep the companies in check. Or just boycott that specific company.

[@greenplanetdocumentary6231]

DW is the best channel. Love the way it highlights the serious issues that must be addressed in our so called modern world. So unbiased views Keep it up, it's great work.

[@ekulda]

Nicely executed documentary. 👍

[@yogithashetty2587]

DW always does a brilliant job of bringing the right issues and brings great understanding to the table 👏🏻👌🏻👍🏻the pharmaceutical company and its various inter related industry such as new budding bio tech company and orphan drugs - it’s an great insight into these worlds 🙏

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi @Yogitha Shetty, Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your positive feedback! Best, The DW Documentary Team

[@A.n.a.n.d.]

This is some amazing piece of journalism @DW. More power to you. Is there anyway I can contribute to DW documentary? Donation or otherwise.

[@ryanmurdoch9581]

I have a huge problem with the big pharmaceutical industry, I view them as an enemy, but it’s complicated.

[@Remindor]

That's because the enemy hides in plain sight among those who are too busy creating value to notice the plotting and scheming.

[@nadeemusmani3918]

An excellent documentary

[@chimebath85]

Love this channel.

[@aphiwemagaya3279]

Corruption is just everywhere!

[@nospamnophishing3242]

There a lot of anti-cancerous herbs which are quite underrated and overlooked. One of them is Winca Rosea commonly called as Madagascar's periwinkle... A plant commonly grown in the parks of india... It's totally free and it's worth a try...when compared to these hefty price tags

[@robertburke2749]

A patient with 20 30 40 more years of paying for pharmaceuticals is priceless

[@1theonepercent01]

You can only feel deeply the magnitude of this video when you live with chronic disease and pain on a daily basis. This companies are bloody brutal and greedy.

[@breathtakingblue]

An excellent insight into pharma. An excellent documentary. Thank you.

[@MuhammadAhsan-qk3ik]

This is reality and DW has done a great job 👍

[@DWDocumentary]

Hi @Muhammad Ahsan, thanks for watching!

[@ktcooki276]

Fantastic work Karin.x

[@RooeyIX]

They should focus more studies on how to count cancer cells in the body and the type of c cells. At the least you get EARLY diagnosis when you do get it.

[@gostavoadolfos2023]

RIP Michael.

[@mildredwafula7542]

Cost of 1 and then it goes for 750🤭🤔🤭this is just MADNESS

[@ivanaustin8277]

Mind-blowing!

[@loganwolv3393]

So they make 749$ back yeah that's beyond insane profit margins it shocked me too.

the madness is the same pill is charged for 750 in USA and 13 in EU (even without government copayment) It is no freedom like free market:)

[@jameszhang8152]

Jesus. Cant believe it. It's absolutely ridiculous! I was so shocked and thought I misheard him or he was exaggerating so repeated this part a couple of times before being sure that it is 750. These corrputed capitalists.

@@jameszhang8152 I m not so sure about this particular pill, but I m sure for dose of insulin, it is almost 13 EUR here and about $ 330 in USA... but we are getting there... it was 100% covered by state insurance 20 years ago, now it is 50% ....

[@takoemy]

Thank you for this insight

[@mukulbarai1441]

May God bless DW