Some of the billionaire behavior during the pandemic has been, well, not fantastic. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been blasting off into space penis-shaped rocket and taking joyrides with Captain Kirk while SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been firing shots at Bezos and making “pp” jokes on Twitter. Meanwhile, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has ventured away on a more altruistic path. To each his own!
Cuban hasn’t been afraid to dip his toes into political and social issues over the years. And what he’s done now could lead to a paradigm shift in the pharmaceutical industry. Actually, Cuban’s newest venture is a huge swing at Big Pharma and makes him the antithesis of Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli. Cuban has launched his own online pharmacy, which he tweeted about with a link to the website where users can buy generic drugs at cost plus a 15% (or so) margin to cover overhead.
If you are looking for lower pricing on your generic drug purchases, go to https://t.co/LYIIV9Pqzd and sign up ! All drugs are priced at cost plus 15% ! Sign up and share your thoughts and experiences with us ! https://t.co/bFXCMccmvy
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) January 20, 2022
As a quickie example, Cuban’s pharmacy is buying drugs directly from manufacturers and selling them for cheap. As in, the generic version of Prozac for less than $4 per month, versus around $20 at a retail pharmacy, and it all adds up. He’s assuring people that they’re adding additional prescription drugs as swiftly as possible, and the company’s even building a Dalllas-based factory to provide injectibles.
We will add them as quickly as we can. We are building a plant in Dallas so that we can do our own injectibles as well . https://t.co/h08SYvR3xJ
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) January 22, 2022
People are pretty shook to see their $200 meds go for $20 at Cuban’s company.
https://t.co/jYSNkP6CwT set up an account and give us feedback ! https://t.co/7h30LAR6qz
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) January 25, 2022
So, Mark Cuban started this company not only selling affordable drugs but also with a breakdown of why they charge what they charge. I’m kinda shook? My meds that usually cost over $200 would only be $20 here… https://t.co/MI7bamhWgi
— Lakyn Thee Stylist (@OgLakyn) January 24, 2022
And this has led to some “In a world of Elon Musks, be a Mark Cuban” and “In a billionaire world full of Jeff Bezos be a #MarkCuban”-style responses.
In a world of Elon Musks, be a Mark Cuban.
— Anthony Walker – Слава Україні 🇺🇦 (@anthonycwalker) January 22, 2022
In a billionaire world full of Jeff Bezos be a #MarkCuban
— 888 Good Troubles (@LebergerDavid) January 23, 2022
Billionaire Mark Cuban launched an online drug company designed to show transparent and dramatically lower prescription medicine costs.
Elon Musk launched a rocket, confirming space exists, and it’s dark.
— cjmmn (@ChuckCjmmn) January 22, 2022
Hmmmm, affordable prescription drugs, or, or a 5 min space ride.🤔 I'm with #MarkCuban
— Modern Man (@tooronlists) January 23, 2022
Overall, people have nothing but positivity for Cuban doing what Congress hasn’t been able to do despite decades of broken promises and lots of arguing. That is, Cuban’s making life-saving prescriptions affordable and that includes some cancer drugs.
https://twitter.com/xeni/status/1485967350285299713
This is one man. #humanity https://t.co/NJlQj6bEpB
— Jay Arnold (@jayfarnold) January 25, 2022
Let me get this straight:
Mark Cuban is a billionaire, didn’t blast off in a dick-shaped rocket for a joyride, AND is using his money to help people afford life saving prescriptions?
Crazy concept.— Derek (@DerekNeverFails) January 23, 2022
Mark Cuban is doing what Republicans blocked in Congress. He’s making prescription drugs affordable without bankrupting families.
— 𝓙𝓲𝓶𝓶𝔂 𝓙 🫒🇵🇸 (@JimmyJ4thewin) January 22, 2022
That’s incredible 👏👏👏👏
Good for Mark Cuban https://t.co/zrubl5G6Lr
— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) January 22, 2022
Signed up just to test this thing. As crazy as it sounds my Synthroid would cost less via #MarkCuban pharmacy then through the VA! https://t.co/pWEMHJglFZ
— MuslimMarine (@mansoortshams) January 23, 2022
Mark Cuban developed a drug company w/price transparency as the goal. I took a look at the website, & they have tacrolimus for $10.80. This is less than what I pay w/my PPO. You can look at meds by disease or in alpha order. Wanted to share this so ppl are aware of this resource pic.twitter.com/7IT2o8c146
— Amanda Grandinetti, MPH (@AGrandinettiMPH) January 24, 2022
Mark Cuban backed a start-up online pharmacy. No insurance required (or even taken) and all the pricing out of pocket is insanely low. I know a lot of streamers are skipping out on meds for a lack of insurance so please check out https://t.co/qhFFikg9oq and maybe it can help.
— JuiceticeTV (@JuiceticeTV) January 22, 2022
When it takes Mark Cuban lowering the cost of a cancer drug from $9,000/month to $47/month, you know our healthcare system is f*cked. https://t.co/zO9ua4csCA
— 𝖓𝖎𝖈𝖔𝖑𝖊𝖔𝖓 𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖆𝖋𝖆𝖗𝖙 (@DarkLordSlush) January 22, 2022
Yep, “mensch” is a good way to put it, and Cuban is saving lives out there.