Last week, the first episode of the docuseries Modern Medical Mafia premiered before an in-person audience in Rio, Wis. and online. The series explores the role of pharmacy benefit managers in the high cost of prescription drugs in an effort to spur action on PBM reform.
The first episode will be available to stream Jan. 21 on Amazon Prime Video, with further episodes rolling out in the months afterward. NCPA is proud to have attended the premiere and will keep you updated on the project as it continues to roll out.
The showing saw strong attendance both online (with around 4,000 views on the day of the premiere, much more than expected) and in-person at a launch event in Rio, Wis., despite many attendees being forced to stay at home because of a snowstorm. Viewership has continued to rise since the premiere according to Patient Protector, the advocacy group producing the docuseries.
Several speakers delivered remarks before the showing. Among them were the parents and other family members of Cole Schmidtkneckt, who died from an asthma attack after the prices on his inhaler were jacked up from around $60 to $500, forcing him to choose between paying his rent and getting his medicine. The Jan. 21 premiere falls on the date Cole passed away in 2024.
Patient Protector wants to get the help of independent pharmacies to spread the word about the docuseries. Follow the Modern Medical Mafia Facebook page for videos of the speakers from the premiere event, graphics to promote the film, and updates on the series rollout. You can also sign up for updates on the docuseries on its website.
Finally, Patient Protector has created an easy way for you to send a letter advocating for the passage of PBM reform to your representatives in Congress. You can join that campaign here.
