Brigham Buhler

The other thing that pharmaceutical companies do that is not innovative and in a way to extend their revenue streams and maximize profits is they refile patents by changing subtleties of molecules or delivery mechanisms and they get additional patents that make it impossible for a competitor to come into the marketplace. That's exactly what happened with Purdue Pharma.

Purdue Pharma's delivery mechanism, the cotton system, was going to expire. They were making millions, hundreds and hundreds of millions. They panic. They say, what do we do? They scramble to find a different opioid that they could plug into the delivery mechanism. They found Oxy. But the problem with Oxy is it is eight times more addictive than hydrocodone. They knew this. They knew it.

Purdue Pharma's delivery mechanism, the cotton system, was going to expire. They were making millions, hundreds and hundreds of millions. They panic. They say, what do we do? They scramble to find a different opioid that they could plug into the delivery mechanism. They found Oxy. But the problem with Oxy is it is eight times more addictive than hydrocodone. They knew this. They knew it.

Purdue Pharma's delivery mechanism, the cotton system, was going to expire. They were making millions, hundreds and hundreds of millions. They panic. They say, what do we do? They scramble to find a different opioid that they could plug into the delivery mechanism. They found Oxy. But the problem with Oxy is it is eight times more addictive than hydrocodone. They knew this. They knew it.

They knew it 100%. And they put it in the drug and they put it into the marketplace. And they met with the head of the FDA in a private hotel for weeks in advance. And they pushed it into the market and the FDA gave them the golden goose. They put that this was less likely to be addictive or abused than other opioids. which was a boldface lie.

They knew it 100%. And they put it in the drug and they put it into the marketplace. And they met with the head of the FDA in a private hotel for weeks in advance. And they pushed it into the market and the FDA gave them the golden goose. They put that this was less likely to be addictive or abused than other opioids. which was a boldface lie.

They knew it 100%. And they put it in the drug and they put it into the marketplace. And they met with the head of the FDA in a private hotel for weeks in advance. And they pushed it into the market and the FDA gave them the golden goose. They put that this was less likely to be addictive or abused than other opioids. which was a boldface lie.

And then that individual went to go work for Purdue Pharma 18 months later when they left the FDA. That's shocking. Shocking.

And then that individual went to go work for Purdue Pharma 18 months later when they left the FDA. That's shocking. Shocking.

And then that individual went to go work for Purdue Pharma 18 months later when they left the FDA. That's shocking. Shocking.

Yeah. And before that, they created the Valium Crisis of the 60s, where they were advertising to women in the New York Post and New York Times saying, feeling stressed? Pop a Valium. And women got addicted to Valium all over the country. Incredibly dangerous drug, yeah. So Purdue Pharma has done this multiple times.

Yeah. And before that, they created the Valium Crisis of the 60s, where they were advertising to women in the New York Post and New York Times saying, feeling stressed? Pop a Valium. And women got addicted to Valium all over the country. Incredibly dangerous drug, yeah. So Purdue Pharma has done this multiple times.

Yeah. And before that, they created the Valium Crisis of the 60s, where they were advertising to women in the New York Post and New York Times saying, feeling stressed? Pop a Valium. And women got addicted to Valium all over the country. Incredibly dangerous drug, yeah. So Purdue Pharma has done this multiple times.

And the final ramifications are so much more staggering because, again, who pays this? The taxpayers. But the real cost of all of this, and this is what I said to the Senate, we can ramble off numbers and dollars. Like, I can tell you how the number one reason for bankruptcy in America is health care costs.

And the final ramifications are so much more staggering because, again, who pays this? The taxpayers. But the real cost of all of this, and this is what I said to the Senate, we can ramble off numbers and dollars. Like, I can tell you how the number one reason for bankruptcy in America is health care costs.

And the final ramifications are so much more staggering because, again, who pays this? The taxpayers. But the real cost of all of this, and this is what I said to the Senate, we can ramble off numbers and dollars. Like, I can tell you how the number one reason for bankruptcy in America is health care costs.

I can tell you how the number one budgetary concern for the federal government is our rising healthcare cost. And I could tell you how for employers, one of the biggest burdens is the insurance plans and covering their employees' healthcare costs. But the real costs are paid in human lives.

I can tell you how the number one budgetary concern for the federal government is our rising healthcare cost. And I could tell you how for employers, one of the biggest burdens is the insurance plans and covering their employees' healthcare costs. But the real costs are paid in human lives.

I can tell you how the number one budgetary concern for the federal government is our rising healthcare cost. And I could tell you how for employers, one of the biggest burdens is the insurance plans and covering their employees' healthcare costs. But the real costs are paid in human lives.

People like my brother, who got addicted to opioids and lost his life because the system chewed him up and spit him out and let him down. How did he get addicted to opioids? He had an ACL surgery in high school, like so many kids, and the insurance companies are incentivized to prescribe opioids.