While the name Turing Pharmaceuticals may not ring a bell, the products that it produces probably will.

The company produces Daraprim, a drug used mainly to treat a parasite infection that can cause serious or even life-threatening problems for babies born to women who become infected during pregnancy, and for people with compromised immune systems. Turing’s CEO, Martin Shkreli, recently decided that in the name of profit, he would increase the price of a life-saving drug from $13.50 a tablet to $750 overnight.

Turing believed that, due to the rare use of the drug, it would not be a big deal to make the product virtually unattainable for the few people who may truly need it. Although the company has since announced in response to nationwide criticism that prices would be lowered, it is unclear what the new price will be.

There is no question as to whether or not Shkreli had the right to do this; however, there is a debate as to whether it was the moral choice. Companies like Turing should consider the well-being of their consumers as their highest priority, and this unjust markup does not.

In the face of backlash, Shkreli made the following statement: “This is still one of the smallest pharmaceutical products in the world,” he said. “It really doesn’t make sense to get any criticism for this.” The Daily Beast, in response to all of the drama, declared Shkreli the “most-hated man in America.”

Shkreli said the price hike was necessary in order for Turing to turn a profit. However, it can also be seen as an of abuse the freedoms of capitalism.

The leeway given to businesses, both small and large, is one of the ideologies that makes America great.

However, while corporations need to be largely profit-centered, there is something else that should come before that: respect for life. This situation with Shkreli and Turing Pharmaceuticals sheds light on the larger problem of corporate greed getting in the way of true mission statements.

The goal of pharmaceutical companies should be to produce and sell prescription medications to the people and distributors that need them. It is very dangerous for a CEO of such a company to find such ease in selling something that could save a human life in the same way that a person would go about selling office supplies.

Turing has made it clear through his social media presence that he has successfully distanced himself from the people the drugs are helping.

Last week, in response to comments made toward him on Twitter, he tweeted, “it seems like the media immediately points a finger at me so I point one back at em, but not the index or pinkie.” It was comments like this that Shkreli made on social media that caused him to be removed from his former position as CEO of Retrophin, another pharmaceutical company, in 2014.

Shkreli may be a skilled business person who is profit-motivated; however, he lacks the empathy required to lead a company that produces prescription medication and must understand that concern for human life should come before money at all times.

Victoria Razzi is a sophomore advertising major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at vcrazzi@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @vrazzi.

Published on September 27, 2015 at 9:56 pm