# The Conclusion of Martin Shkreli’s Legal Issues: Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Regarding Daraprim Price Increase
The extensive and contentious legal proceedings involving Martin Shkreli, the former pharmaceutical executive infamous for raising the cost of a crucial medication by 5,000 percent, have finally reached their conclusion. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed Shkreli’s request to challenge a lower court’s ruling mandating him to repay $64.6 million in profits derived from his price-hiking activities with **Daraprim**, a medication used for treating a potentially fatal parasitic illness.
This verdict signifies the end of a legal drama that has unfolded over several years and solidified Shkreli’s status as an emblem of corporate avarice within the pharmaceutical sector.
## The Daraprim Price Increase
The uproar erupted in 2015 when Shkreli, via his pharmaceutical firm **Vyera Pharmaceuticals** (previously referred to as **Turing Pharmaceuticals**), obtained the rights to Daraprim, a long-established drug primarily used for the treatment of **toxoplasmosis**. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that poses severe risks for individuals with weakened immune systems, including those with **HIV**, **cancer**, or recipients of **organ transplants**. It can also pose significant threats to infants if they become infected during gestation.
Prior to Shkreli’s takeover, the cost of a single Daraprim tablet fluctuated between $13.50 and $17.50. Yet, once Vyera took charge of the drug, the price surged to $750 per tablet overnight, representing a staggering 5,000 percent jump. This abrupt price escalation ignited indignation among the public, healthcare practitioners, and legislators, as it placed a vital, life-sustaining medication beyond the reach of numerous at-risk patients.
Shkreli’s unapologetic justification for the price increase only fueled further outrage. He claimed the price surge was a normative business approach in the pharmaceutical realm and that the resulting profits would be allocated towards research and development of new medications. However, his indifferent demeanor and public image—often showcased on social media—earned him the nickname “Pharma Bro” and turned him into a focal point for criticism.
## The Legal Repercussions
The price increase swiftly caught the scrutiny of federal regulators and prosecutors. In 2021, the **Federal Trade Commission (FTC)**, alongside seven state attorneys general, initiated a lawsuit against Shkreli, accusing him of conducting an illegal, anticompetitive scheme aimed at sustaining the inflated price of Daraprim and obstructing competition from entering the marketplace.
The lawsuit asserted that Shkreli and Vyera Pharmaceuticals partook in a “web of anticompetitive restrictions” that effectively barred generic drug makers from producing more affordable alternatives to Daraprim. This included limiting access to the drug’s active components and entering into exclusive supply agreements with distributors, rendering it nearly impossible for competitors to develop or market a generic version of the medication.
In January 2022, **U.S. District Court Judge Denise Cote** sided with the FTC and the state attorneys general, concluding that Shkreli’s conduct was “egregious, deliberate, repetitive, long-running, and ultimately dangerous.” Judge Cote mandated Shkreli to return $64.6 million in profits he had accrued from the Daraprim scheme and prohibited him from participating in the pharmaceutical sector ever again.
## The Supreme Court’s Rejection
Following the district court’s determination, Shkreli attempted to appeal the decision, maintaining that the court had overreached its jurisdiction and that the penalties were overly harsh. However, his endeavors to overturn the judicial ruling were thwarted at every tier of the legal system. Ultimately, on Monday, the **U.S. Supreme Court** declined to entertain Shkreli’s appeal, effectively concluding his legal proceedings.
The Supreme Court’s dismissal of the case indicates that the lower court’s ruling remains intact, and Shkreli will be obliged to remit the $64.6 million in restitution. Furthermore, the lifetime prohibition on his participation in the pharmaceutical industry endures.
## A Wider Effect on the Pharmaceutical Sector
Shkreli’s case has generated significant consequences for the pharmaceutical industry and has reinvigorated discussions regarding drug pricing in the United States. His actions underscored the weaknesses in the system that enable pharmaceutical firms to exploit monopolies on essential medications and engage in price-gouging tactics.
In the aftermath of the Daraprim controversy, legislators and regulators have advocated for reforms to avert similar occurrences in the future. The **FTC** has also intensified its initiatives to combat anticompetitive practices within the pharmaceutical domain, with a particular emphasis on companies employing tactics akin to those used by Shkreli to impede competition and uphold artificially inflated drug prices.
**FTC Chair Lina M. Khan** commended the district court’s
