The ‘Pharma Bro’ just had the saddest birthday party anyone’s ever seen
‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli, who last year raised the price of a drug to treat an AIDS-related illness by 5500%, has just celebrated his birthday in the saddest way possible.
Turing Pharmaceuticals founder Martin Shkreli came under fire last year after buying the rightsto 62-year-old drug Daraprim, which is used to treat conditions including AIDS-related toxoplasmosis, and jacking up the price to $750 a pill.
The 5500% price rise sparked outrage, but Shkreli refused to back down. He was removed as the company’s CEO after he was arrested over unrelated fraud allegations.
Shkreli had a birthday party on his own, and invited Twitter to join via webcam.
He broadcast the ‘party’ via Blab Beta, which he usually uses to broadcast live chats which are open to the public.
The celebration included a cake decorated with a $100 note, including his face. After the party was over, Shkreli tweeted to say he was please to have turned 33.
The self-proclaimed ‘Pharma Bro’ earlier this year had a witches’ hex placed on him.
Shkreli appeared before US Congress last month to answer questions about his company’s actions – but heeded his legal counsel’s advice to stay quiet about the incident.
The former CEO seemed detached throughout the hearing, smirking at many of the questions as he declined to answer – and even giggling at one point, while a lawmaker was speaking about the impact of Shkreli’s money-grabbing actions.
US Representative Elijah Cummings rebuked him for the laughter, firing back: “It’s not funny, Mr Shkreli.”