Öner Tulum, co-founder of the Academic-Industry Research Network, explains how pharmaceutical companies prioritize shareholders over patients, driving drug prices higher while access suffers. He traces how publicly funded research feeds the drug pipeline, yet profits are captured by executives and Wall Street.
Tulum argues that innovation isn’t just about discovering new therapies—it’s about making them affordable and accessible. Without transparency, fair pricing, and a system that rewards patients and taxpayers, innovation loses its purpose.
This interview exposes the growing risks of financialized pharma: inequality, lack of access, and an industry more focused on stock prices than human health.
