The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 11.30 QAnon Convoy Recruiting Homeless Mercenaries To Overthrow The Government?! & Today’s News

Episode Date: December 1, 2023

Go to http://ridge.com/defranco to get up to 30% off through December 20th. Go to http://www.unrealdefranco.com/ to switch to Unreal Mobile and get three months of crystal clear connectivity for the p...rice of two & a chance to win a one-of-a-kind Gameboy Color!  shhh this is a secret link: https://youtu.be/g1gOaaDvy1Q?si=CKxW2lA5TfvrZcpw  –✩ TODAY’S STORIES ✩ – 00:00 - Netflix’s Squid Game Contestants Describe Dire Conditions 03:07 - Qanon Convoy in Canada Recruiting Homeless People 05:32 - Elon Musk Curses Companies Who Dropped Ads During Interview 09:31 - Sponsored by Ridge 10:36 - Drug to Extend the Lives of Large Dogs Passes Key FDA Hurdle 11:34 - Henry Kissinger Dies at 100, Prompting Loud Reactions 14:29 - George Santos Expulsion Vote on the Horizon  16:58 - Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Has Killed 19 Airbnb Customers 19:07 - Sponsored by Unreal Mobile 20:07 - Postpartum Depression Pill Priced at $16,000 25:03 - Your Thoughts on Yesterday’s Stories ——————————   Produced by: Cory Ray Edited by: James Girardier, Maxx Enright, Julie Goldberg, Christian Meeks Art Department: William Crespo Writing/Research: Philip DeFranco, Brian Espinoza, Lili Stenn, Maddie Crichton, Star Pralle, Chris Tolve  ———————————— #DeFranco #ElonMusk #MiaKhalifa ———————————— Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Today we're talking about even more disturbing allegations coming out about Netflix's Squid Game reality show, Disney and Elon Musk go into war, why so many are celebrating the death of Henry Kissinger, QAnon believers in Canada are trying to build a mercenary army using homeless people, why your next Airbnb could be deadly, treatment for postpartum depression is on the way but good luck affording it, a new drug that makes your dog live longer could be out soon. We're talking about all that and so much more in today's Extra Large Thursday Philip DeFranco show, so just buckle up, hit that like button, and let's jump into it. Starting with...
Starting point is 00:00:28 Yo, contestants on Netflix's Squid Game competition series had such dry lips, they used lubricated condoms to moisturize them since they weren't given ChapStick. And of course, that's just one of the many wild things we've been learning about the conditions on the show. Right, because I don't think we've actually talked about this. If you didn't know, Netflix took its hit scripted series, Squid Game, right, the one about people fighting such a debilitating poverty they were willing to play games where they might actually get killed to win cash, and they turned it into an actual reality competition series that just didn't have the murder. Though, if you've watched it, you have seen people's souls and psyches crushed. Like, it's not too much of a
Starting point is 00:00:58 spoiler. There's, like, a whole part where it's like, hey, what if, like, everyone all of a sudden hated one player, and he's being bullied, and he has a straight-up up panic attack and we just focus on that for a few minutes. And so because of the conditions and some of the things that have been featured on the show, you have people having problems with it. You know, regarding the problems we've known about some of them for a while, I mean, there were reports earlier this year claiming that some of the games were rigged, that conditions on set were inhumane. And so it's really not a surprise that some have questioned if it is ethical to make a reality show based on Squid Game, with one critic telling BBC News, I think the problem, such as it is, is that the drama version is such a bitterly acute satire of the ruthlessness of late capitalism, whereas played out for real,
Starting point is 00:01:32 it loses the satirical beats and becomes the thing the drama railed against. And with that saying, you know, there are moments that are hard to watch, where you're genuinely concerned about the well-being of these people, and that is a feature, not a bug of the show. And on top of that, you have other things, like some contestants saying they were injured while filming, even threatening legal action after they suffered from hypothermia, claiming that the production company pushed the boundaries of safety in the name of entertainment.
Starting point is 00:01:51 And reportedly, no lawsuit has officially been filed. There is a firm that's been retained and is potentially preparing one. With all that bringing us to now today's headline, which is definitely not the worst of the accusations, but it definitely underscores some of the problems that contestants had to use lubricated condoms as chapstick. And here, one contestant telling Entertainment Weekly that when they arrived, they were given a bag of toiletries like toothbrushes and toothpaste with no lip balm.
Starting point is 00:02:10 And after a while, that really took a toll on people. And apparently it happened pretty fast because while the contestant told the outlet that he didn't use the condoms himself, within a day, maybe a day and a half, all the condoms were gone and it was absurd and it still didn't work. Saying he was trying to use lotion and conditioner on his lips, but that also didn't work. They're saying eventually producers did get lip balm for the players. And so, yeah, of course, we're going to have to wait
Starting point is 00:02:28 to see how things play out. But also what I will say for me personally, what's been so interesting, I've seen so many contestants on this show putting out TikTok after TikTok, talking about the behind the scenes, the like the what actually happened
Starting point is 00:02:39 versus how it was featured. Things like how during red light, green light, you're like, oh, it said this is a five minute competition. Then you find out like, no, this was hours and hours. Other things then start to make sense. You're like, oh, okay. So that girl that was like, I can't hold this squat. It wasn't because she couldn't hold a squat for 30 seconds. She was just stuck like that for some extended undisclosed amount of time. Yeah. With this whole situation, have you watched the show? What are your thoughts about the controversies? Have you not watched it on purpose?
Starting point is 00:03:05 Or rather, I mean, for like moral reasons? Yeah, let me know. And then, what if we got a mercenary army of homeless people to overthrow the government? That is not my proposal, but rather something that we're seeing over in Canada right now. Because for several months, a group of conspiracy theorists have been organizing a movement based on the anti-vax freedom convoy that shut down the Capitol early last year. And this new convoy, which consists of about 100 people in vehicles parked in a field 40 minutes outside Ottawa, calls itself Save the Children. And if you're asking, save the children from what? The movement's self-appointed spokesperson,
Starting point is 00:03:32 Gordon Berry, has the answer. With him pointing the finger at the human trafficking industry as well as, quote, mandating the shots to kids and kids getting sick and freaking education and all the stuff they're teaching them in schools and the trans agenda and the math agenda, gender dysphoria, all of these things, end quote. And so with an explanation like that, it probably is not a surprise that this group has a heavy dose of QAnon. With many of them believing that there's a plot to impose a one-world government, and that the United Nations is instructing elementary schools to promote pedophilia. With that, sharing nutty photos on their Facebook group, like one with a child that has a QR code tattooed on their forehead next to the symbol of the Freemasons.
Starting point is 00:04:03 Though also, not all of the Convoy's members are on board with Q, with some reportedly arriving through new age spirituality, health and wellness culture, for example. And so disagreements have actually caused some infighting. I mean, live streams have shown them yelling at each other and throwing around words like infiltrator. One moment caught on camera showing a man
Starting point is 00:04:19 climbing onto the hood of a moving vehicle and trying to punch the windshield, then he gets thrown off. Oh, oh, oh. So with ridiculous like that going on, it's not too surprising that the group's organizing efforts have progressed slowly, which for them sucks because they've got some really ambitious goals.
Starting point is 00:04:35 Right, with Barry reportedly drawing up plans to arrest police officers and members of parliament. And in October, a group of them showed up outside Parliament Hill and tried to arrest politicians as they left the House of Commons. With three people there getting arrested for obstruction, then later getting released. One person reportedly got tased. And so after that experience, it was clear to them that they needed more manpower if they were going to save the world.
Starting point is 00:04:53 And hence, it comes to the mercenary army that I mentioned at the beginning. Because in a now-deleted Instagram Live video, convoy organizer Norman Blanchfield revealed his latest recruiting drug. But the homeless people, they want to fight with us. So we're going to take 20 with us, but we already have three homeless people before. With him seeming to imply that they would offer the homeless people food and services in exchange for their support in the upcoming fight. Though he makes it clear that he doesn't want just any homeless people because many have mental health and drug addiction issues. So yeah, definitely a completely normal and safe situation and not in any way a powder keg with a short, but no one knows how short, fuse. And then is Elon Musk becoming a battle-hardened strongman
Starting point is 00:05:36 or a cringy little bitch? That's what's being debated right now, both in general, but also because of this recent interview Elon Musk did that's making the rounds online. Because he was at the annual New York Times Dealbook Summit in New York, and the conversation quickly turned to his recent endorsement of an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory on X. Regarding that tweet, he called it the worst and dumbest post he's ever done, apologizing, saying,
Starting point is 00:05:55 You know, if I could go back and say, I should, in retrospect, not have replied to that particular person, and I should have written in greater length as to what I meant. I did subsequently clarify it in replies, but those clarifications were ignored by the media. And essentially, I handed a loaded gun to those who hate me, and arguably to those who
Starting point is 00:06:20 are anti-Semitic. And for that, I'm quite sorry. That is not, that was not my intention. But then, when the conversation shifted towards the recent boycott of ex-buy advertisers, Elon's tone shifted, and he said, That this had been said online, there was all of the criticism, there was advertisers leaving. We talked to Bob Iger today. I hope they stop. You hope, don't advertise. You don't want them to advertise? No. What do you mean?
Starting point is 00:06:47 If somebody's going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go f*** yourself. But go f*** yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is. Hey, Bob. If you're in the audience. Right, and that hi, Bob, likely referring to the CEO of Disney, one of the big names that's cut off their advertising business with X. But then Elon also didn't stop there with him going on to say... Actually, what this advertising boycott is going to do,
Starting point is 00:07:18 it's going to kill the company. And you think that... And the whole world will know that those advertisers killed the company, and we will document it in great detail. I mean, if the company fails because of an advertised boycott, it will fail because of an advertised boycott, and that will be what bankrupted the company, and that's what everybody on Earth will know.
Starting point is 00:07:41 What do you think, then, of the... This goes back to the idea of trust, though? They won't be gone and will be gone because of an advertiser boycott. While this is playing out, Linda Iaccarino, the CEO, brought on to bring advertisers into X. She was just sitting there in the audience. And shortly after the rant, she took to X herself, pointing to Elon's apology and saying X is, quote, enabling an information independence that's uncomfortable for some people. And it, quote, allows people to make their own decisions. And going on to add X is standing at a unique and amazing intersection of free speech and mainstream the x community is powerful and is here to welcome you to our partners who believe in our meaningful
Starting point is 00:08:11 work thank you now with all that said uh the first thing i gotta say is actually one of my favorite clips from this whole interview was this and jonathan like the only reason i'm here is because you are a friend like what was my speaking fee? You're not making any, first of all, I'm Andrew, but yeah, sorry. It's okay. But also in addition to that, right, where people are having completely different reactions to this interview is that those who are supporting Musk here and championing him are believing exactly what he's saying. They see what the advertisers are doing as some sort of blackmail, a way that they're like somehow trying to bully Musk. Of course, the counter to that is how do you bully the richest man or one
Starting point is 00:08:48 of the richest men in the world with money? And then on the complete other side of this, you have people saying you're not being blackmailed. Advertisers pulling back. Those are the consequences of your actions. You're not just doing a thing. You're continually doing a number of things and brands are scared to be associated with that. And all of this playing out as you have places like Slate putting out articles titled, Twitter is worth more to Elon Musk dead than alive. With that piece going on to argue that after all the bad decisions he's made
Starting point is 00:09:11 that has kind of led Twitter to this horrible place, if he's able to convince people that Twitter slash X failed, not because of his choices, but rather because he got bullied by massive corporations, he can use it to make himself a free speech martyr and recast his own business failures as an ideological stand against censorship. But hey, whatever the reasoning and goals of the situation are, this is where we are now, and we're going to have to wait to see how things play out.
Starting point is 00:09:31 And then, it's that time of year again, which means that we're all looking for great gifts to keep our loved ones, well, loving us. So look no further, thanks to the longtime partner of the PDS, Ridge. You know, I love that Ridge is a minimalist front pocket wallet that's slim, RFID blocking, and comes with a lifetime guarantee. Ridge wallets expand to hold up to 12 cards, plus have room for cash, all while remaining as slim as possible. And they're available in 30 plus styles and colors, including leather to choose from. They've also recently expanded their collections with the Hyper Lime and Ceramic Powder, so you got a lot of gifts to choose from. Ridge's Hyper Lime collection comes in pretty cool fluorescent shades found in high performance gear. And the Ceramic Powder collection in pastel colorways is designed for any day pack, purse, or crossbody bag
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Starting point is 00:10:36 And then, how much would you pay for your dog to live longer? And I ask that because there is actually a drug that's getting closer and closer to a full release that will extend the life of your large dog. It's called Loyal for dogs. As far as why it's aimed at bigger dogs, you might not know this. According to the American Kennel Club, the average lifespan for larger dogs is about 8 to 12 years. And also noting a Bernese Mountain Dog or a Great Dane, their life expectancy is 7 to 10 and 8 to 10 years. But for smaller breeds, we're talking 10 to 15 years.
Starting point is 00:11:02 I mean, chihuahuas can live 20 years. So according to Loyal, you know, they have this drug that you give to your dog every three to six months. And according to the founder and CEO of Loyal, we're going to be going for claiming at least one year of healthy lifespan extension. So, you know, the company has submitted studies. The company reportedly yesterday clearing a key FDA regulatory hurdle required in their approval process. While they still have to undergo clinical trials, they are hoping for FDA approval by 2026. You know, I will say, if everything does stay on track, I'm so interested to see how big this drug could be. Because, like, people like dogs more than they like people. So I think it's just going to be
Starting point is 00:11:32 a question of how much does this cost. And then Henry Kissinger, one of the most divisive and impactful people in American history, has died at the age of 100, and the reactions online are all over the place. You've got people putting out crab dance memes, throwing Ws in the chat. You got Mia Khalifa so stoked she's offered 29% off her OnlyFans. The general sentiment of all the memes being Henry Kissinger's dead, rest in piss, bozo. But then, of course, you also have people who support and defend him. But then also, between these two groups, you had a lot of people wondering, you know, who is Henry Kissinger, right? The guy's 100 years old. And so I figure, you know,
Starting point is 00:12:04 let's talk about it, right? He was a former U.S. Secretary of State under Nixon and a longtime statesman with a general policy of doing whatever it took to keep America number one. And notably, that included a lot of shitty, horrible things. And while I can't get into all of it today, we're going to talk about some of the greatest hits. Probably most infamously, he helped drag on the Vietnam War longer than needed, as well as for pushing neutral Cambodia and Laos to be bombed in order to disrupt supply lines the Viet Cong troops were using. And that bombing was a huge catalyst for the Khmer Rouge to get into power and kill millions. Also, the policies that he pushed for in Vietnam and Cambodia are enough for many people to call him a war criminal throughout
Starting point is 00:12:36 his life, despite winning a Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating a major ceasefire. Though here, Anthony Bourdain probably said it best when he said, Once you've been to Cambodia, you'll never stop wanting to beat Henry Kissinger to death with your bare hands. You will never again be able to open a newspaper and read about that treacherous, prevaricating, murderous scumbag sitting down for a nice chat with Charlie Rose or attending some black tie affair for a new glossy magazine without choking. You know how America has this reputation of supporting the overthrowing of democracies and supporting the far-right dictatorships? Especially in places like Latin America? We can largely thank Kissinger for setting up that template after telling Augusto Pinochet and other coup plotters in Chile that the U.S. would support
Starting point is 00:13:11 them in their coup. He was also known for distancing himself as much as he could from his Jewish heritage while working in the White House to the point that he was accused of being anti-Semitic. He was also the guy that helped re-establish relations between China and the U.S., which has been controversial. On one hand, both economies have boomed from the relationship. But on the other hand, it's forced the U.S. to ignore many Chinese human rights violations in the interest of our economies, as well as allegedly leading to the downfall of manufacturing jobs here. And honestly, the list goes on and on with people from pretty much every single continent having a gripe with it. Which is kind of the general best way to describe his outlook on foreign policy, being that if it was good for
Starting point is 00:13:42 America geopolitically, then it was worth pursuing no matter how many other people in the world it negatively impacted. And also, his comments since leaving his position as Secretary of State haven't helped his reputation, such as when he recently said that Ukraine should be forced to give up control of the Donbass to Russia. Though, again, today not everyone was on the Bash-Kissinger bandwagon, with, for example, Rolling Stone putting out an article about his death titled, Henry Kissinger, war criminal beloved by America's ruling class, finally dies. And that got some backlash with former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon bashing the obituary and saying,
Starting point is 00:14:10 So you've always been picky about your produce, but now you find yourself checking every label to make sure it's Canadian. So be it. At Sobeys, we always pick guaranteed fresh Canadian produce first. Restrictions apply. See in-store or online for details. It's sad that the state of America is that we're not surprised by this, because if you didn't have activist journalists, would you have journalists at all today? This is the state of American journalism, and it is so sad.
Starting point is 00:14:37 But as all of this plays out in different ways, depending on where you go on the internet, I got to pass the question off to you. What are your thoughts here? Whether about Kissinger himself and or about the reaction to his death. And then, so by the next time we talk, Representative George Santos might have sashayed away out of Congress. And that's because as I was recording today,
Starting point is 00:14:54 the House was debating a motion to expel Santos with the final vote on the matter set for tomorrow. While the motion in question was brought to the floor by two Democrats, it was initially filed by Santos' fellow Republican colleague, Representative Michael Guest. And that, after the House Ethics Committee, which is actually chaired by Guest,
Starting point is 00:15:06 published an absolutely devastating report that found substantial evidence that Santos had willingly and knowingly violated criminal law, as well as ethics guidelines and House rules. Right, that report specifically finding that Santos used massive amounts of campaign funds for personal expenses, including Botox, shopping at designer stores, and even purchases on OnlyFans. And while notably, Santos has previously faced two expulsion votes and survived, it's being widely reported right now that this time is different
Starting point is 00:15:28 because many members who opposed those past efforts now support his expulsion because of the ethics panel report. And even Santos himself said during an X Spaces event over the weekend that he thinks the expulsion vote will succeed, which is especially significant for a number of reasons, including like this can't be done by a simple majority. An expulsion vote requires two-thirds of the House to vote in favor. So again, the question is, will there be enough votes?
Starting point is 00:15:46 Especially because some top lawmakers have expressed concerns that expelling Santos would set a bad precedent because he hasn't officially been convicted of a crime yet. And that, including the Speaker of the House, who told reporters earlier this week, I personally have real reservations about doing this. I'm concerned about a precedent that may be set for that. But also notably, adding that leadership would not be whipping votes
Starting point is 00:16:01 and that members would be free to vote their conscience. In fact, an internal whip count by Politico found that more than 75 House Republicans say they plan to vote for Santos' expulsion. That's in addition to a dozen who say they are likely to support his removal. So if those numbers hold and Democrats vote to expel, it should happen.
Starting point is 00:16:15 That said, as far as how Santos himself has responded, he remained defiant and combative while speaking to reporters at a news conference this morning, claiming that lawmakers are just bullying him and once again refusing to resign. Because you've had the likes of Speaker Johnson, in fact, urging Santos to resign, right? Worried about setting what they think is that bad precedent, forcing Republicans to take a tough vote and it doesn't look great optically. Santos obviously does not care. He's refusing to resign. And he's also basically swore revenge against some of his
Starting point is 00:16:39 colleagues saying that if he is expelled, he'll fight for the downfall of several other lawmakers. Actually with that, and what could likely be his final act in Congress, Santos brought an expulsion resolution against a fellow New York lawmaker, Democrat Jamal Bowman. You might remember because he actually pleaded guilty last month to pulling a fire alarm in a House office bill. Though that is also widely expected to go nowhere because House Republicans already decided against bringing measures to censure or expel Bowman. But Santos's actions here being widely viewed as kind of a trapped raccoon lashing out. But of course, nothing is official until it's official. And so we'll wait to see. If it does happen, Santos will be breathing some rare air because in fact, only five people have ever been expelled from Congress.
Starting point is 00:17:12 And this would actually be the first expulsion in more than two decades. And then if you are watching this video from an Airbnb right now, you might be dead by the time this video is over. How is that for a hook? But that is because a colorless, odorless, yet deadly gas could be seeping into your lungs as we speak. I'm talking about carbon monoxide. Because an investigation by NBC News actually identified 19 deaths reportedly involving carbon monoxide poisoning
Starting point is 00:17:35 at Airbnbs since 2013. And actually, whether you're an Airbnb or not, you should know, people often do not notice until it's too late because the symptoms, kind of, they mimic the flu. So you could just be showering and have a leaky water heater putting you to sleep forever. Now, here's the thing.
Starting point is 00:17:48 If you are in the U.S., don't freak out. The regulations here are actually semi-consistent. In fact, not a single death in this was found to be in the good old U.S. of A. But if you travel into another country, maybe for vacation or work or school, the rules get a little dicey. With the deaths in question here being identified in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, China, and Taiwan. And they go back as far as 2013 with this Canadian woman staying in a Taiwanese Airbnb, dropping dead, and her five friends being hospitalized. And so notably after that, Airbnb promised that by the end of 2014, it would require hosts to confirm that carbon monoxide detectors were installed
Starting point is 00:18:17 in every listing. Even adding that they would dish out free detectors to every eligible host in the US who requested one. But now, nearly a decade later, no such requirement is actually in place, and the company has only given hosts enough detectors to cover 2.3% of active listings. Plus, it only offers one detector to each host, which isn't enough to ensure multi-unit or multi-floor properties are safe. So unsurprisingly, there have been at least six lawsuits
Starting point is 00:18:36 against Airbnb involving carbon monoxide poisoning, three of which are still ongoing while others have been settled or dismissed. And while the company has done things like pay victims' families and remove those listings, plaintiffs say that it refused to consider a blanket mandate to install CO detectors. And that, even though the problem appears to have been growing worse
Starting point is 00:18:51 in the decades since the first death. In fact, deaths from carbon monoxide in the United States increased every year from 2012 to 2019, with the official number today landing somewhat in the hundreds, though it is hard to count because cases go unreported. Though in 2021, The Lancet estimates that globally, nearly 29,000 people died to the invisible killer. So while yes, at the core of this story, if you're traveling, check the listing to see if they include a CO detector. But also in those
Starting point is 00:19:11 situations, if you're really worried, you can bring your own portable detector. And also just for everyone, as someone whose life was actually saved as a child because we happened to have a CO detector in our house that we weren't even aware of, make sure you have them and that they're functioning properly because they do save lives. And then, if you're like most folks, you're probably overpaying your mobile provider for the exact same services that you can get from today's sponsor, Unreal Mobile. Seriously, why are we paying the big guys two to three times more when you can get unlimited talk, text, and data sharing at $20 a month with Unreal? They're powered by the number one most reliable network in America according to Global Wireless Solutions. The
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Starting point is 00:20:25 And then so many women suffer from postpartum depression, but new relief is finally available, though there is a catch. You might need a spare $16,000 lying around. It's the FDA approved Zirzuve back in August, which was a very big deal because it was the first pill approved to treat postpartum depression. Because up until now, the only medicine treatment specifically for PPD was an IV injection, which requires going to a healthcare facility to receive it from a provider. So the news of this pill has been very welcome, as it's a way more accessible treatment
Starting point is 00:20:52 that you just take once daily for 14 days. And that's definitely a lot easier for a new mom who doesn't have a ton of free time. It also reportedly works very quickly, kicking in in just around three days, which is definitely a lot sooner than if someone opted to take a standard regular antidepressant, which would take weeks. I mean, Time Magazine even hailed Zerzuve as one of the best inventions of 2023 because it has the power to alleviate
Starting point is 00:21:11 some of the downstream effects of postpartum, especially on the bond between mother and baby. But this is you also have some experts warning people that this should not be viewed as some magic pill. Are there things we still don't know since trials didn't follow up past 45 days after completing the course? That and the study also specifically focused on those with severe and therefore rarer forms of PPD.
Starting point is 00:21:28 But even with that said, it is still considered a very big deal. With, for example, Dr. Katrina Furious, psychiatrist at the Yale School of Medicine, saying, This is exciting because mental health issues are the most common complication of childbirth beyond anything medical, including diabetes and hypertension. Plus, the number one cause of maternal mortality is suicide, which is devastating. So whatever we can do to get more treatments out there is important. When it was approved by the FDA, reports noted that one of the biggest factors in its overall ability to actually help people will likely be cost, because the price alone could impact
Starting point is 00:21:56 how frequently it's even prescribed. We ended up seeing in November, Sage Therapeutics announced that the 14-day course will cost $15,900 before insurance. And you probably see that and you think, hot damn, that is a big number. And it definitely is. I mean, for some context here as to what other medications often cost before insurance,
Starting point is 00:22:12 health websites generally say that drugs like Zoloft and Lexapro are in the $400 to $500 range without insurance, or that often for a month-long course. And so that price tag has some people in medical care concerned that it might be financially out of reach for too many patients. With, for example, Dr. Lindsay Allen from Northwestern University telling CNN that the cost
Starting point is 00:22:27 raises substantial accessibility concerns, especially when we still don't know how it'll be covered by insurance. Further adding, insuring access to such treatments is imperative as they may be life-saving for new mothers during a vulnerable time. Suicide is a leading cause of death in the first year postpartum. You also had Columbia University's Dr. Catherine Monk adding that even with insurance, there are already issues with disparity, exacerbating inequities with respect to who has access to what kind of care.
Starting point is 00:22:50 But still, some are holding hope that there will be ways for this to be an affordable and accessible option. With Sage Therapeutics releasing a statement saying that access has been a key consideration for Sage and Biogen in setting its price. And adding that Sage and Biogen are working to enable women with PPD
Starting point is 00:23:03 who are prescribed Zirzuve to be able to access treatment with minimal restrictions and, where possible, with little to no copay regardless of financial means. And saying that it's working with national, regional, and government payers as well as planning support programs that could provide financial assistance to help cover costs. So again, we won't know for sure how accessible it is until it's being prescribed. And there you have Sage saying that commercial availability will start in December while a broader complement of commercialization capabilities will come in 2024. But also with this news, the stakes are high for this drug because postpartum depression can be so
Starting point is 00:23:31 debilitating and it's also so stigmatized. In fact, according to the Yale School of Medicine, one in seven mothers report suffering from PPD, though cases are likely underreported, so the actual figure is even higher. And even though symptoms can mirror a lot of those with major depressive disorder, it's not quite the same. People think having a baby is something that should be the happiest time of your life, a lot of excitement, and also a major new responsibility and life adjustment. So those symptoms manifest around all of that, with those including things like feelings of anger, sadness, hopelessness, and guilt, as well as changes in sleeping patterns, loss of joy, and possible thoughts of harming oneself or your baby. And on top of all that,
Starting point is 00:24:03 you have the Office on Women's Health explaining, you might not feel connected to your baby as if you are not the baby's mother, or you might not love or care for the baby. The CBS News actually spoke to one mom who participated in the trial for Zuzuvay because she experienced that feeling after having her child, explaining. I would look at her and just be like,
Starting point is 00:24:18 ugh, like, can you just like get away? I mean, she'd be crying and I would just go into another room. And a lot of new moms don't tell anyone about these feelings because they feel embarrassed and ashamed. They're afraid they'll look like a bad mom, even though this can happen to anyone.
Starting point is 00:24:32 It has nothing to do with whether you're a good parent or not. And statistically, black mothers especially are more likely to suffer from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders like postpartum depression and are also less likely to seek treatment. And in the last several years, there have been big efforts to chip away at these stigmas and to encourage women to get help. I mean,
Starting point is 00:24:48 Brooke Shields, especially, she really broke down barriers when she opened up about her experience nearly 20 years ago. And since then, we've seen other big names like Adele, Kylie Jenner, and more speaking about it. But it is still a difficult illness to be in the throes of. And yes, things like therapy and some regular antidepressants do help moms. But like I mentioned before, they take a while. And because mental illnesses aren't one-size-fits-all, the more treatments available, the better. Which again, is why the first pill specifically for postpartum depression is such a big deal. And that's also why people are so concerned about high barrier to entry when it comes to the cost. But for now, only time will tell how insurance handles that $15,900 price tag.
Starting point is 00:25:21 And then, let's talk about yesterday today, where we take a look back at yesterday's show. We dive into those comments and see what y'all had to say about the news. Starting with one of my favorite comments, because it's about me and I'm a fucking narcissist. Shout out to Phil for pushing P positivity every day in these daily videos. With that, of course, in reference to the ridiculous dumpster fire of a trial that is the Young Thug trial, which on that note, y'all were saying things like hearing someone talk about bleach in a setting like that was absolutely hilarious. It's baffling and hearing her refer to terms that don't make sense to anyone who hasn't seen it just makes it so astounding. With people replying, judge, miss, what does this have to do with the case? Attorney, nothing, your honor. I just hate
Starting point is 00:25:54 filler. Others arguing she could have better made her point by referencing one piece. Others saying this trial sums that our ability to take our society seriously had an expiration date and we've since passed it. But what I will say for me is just watching the clips, it felt like someone wasn't an actual lawyer. They had just like watched a lot of TV shows that had lawyers in it. And they were like, yeah, this is this is what I'm going to do. And then that also got me wondering, like, I wonder if lawyers today, like more like newer lawyers, they are impacted by all those like TV dramas and movies. So can it slowly or maybe it already is a case of the tail wagging the dog. Though of course, at the same time, like the theatrics in court
Starting point is 00:26:30 aren't completely new, right? I mean, one of the most watched trials ever was the OJ Simpson trial. Still to this day, you have people saying if the glove don't fit, you must acquit. And every day, I feel like there's just something that further confirms that life is a circus. We just, we have a bigger and bigger camera on it now. Then also finally the one comment i definitely agreed with sarah said this young thug trial makes me want a legal eagle video where he's reacting to the circus of a trial yes please and that is actually where your daily dive into the news is going to end for now but for more news you need to know i got you covered right here as well as day six of the secret side project you can click or tap or i got links in the description definitely worth a watch it's been fun doing this with y'all but with that said of course
Starting point is 00:27:04 as always my name is philip defco. You've just been filled in. I love your faces and I'll see you right back here next time to break down more news.

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