Adam Carolla's Health Care Rx: Drug Company Greed Is Good

Comedian Adam Carolla (formerly Dr. Drew's co-host on "Love Line" and Jimmy Kimmel's on Comedy Central's "The Man Show") now has one of the most popular podcasts in America. It consistently makes iTunes' Top 10 list.

Carolla discussed health care reform on his Sept. 9 podcast. His friend and guest Bryan Bishop, who has cancer, was talking about his recent treatments, when Carolla chimed in with this:

Well, I know we're in the middle of this health care debate. And I know the big drug companies have all of a sudden become Beelzebub. And I don't know if there's a way to balance this out, or work it out, but I like them getting rich. I like them motivated by greed. I love the fact that almost all the innovative drugs come out of this country because in other countries, they're not motivated by greed because the government has gotten involved to such a point where there's no entrepreneurship as it pertains to the companies. And I know these guys are greedy.

Like, it's a weird thing. Like, if you sell cars and you're greedy, that's fine. And if you sell real estate and you're greedy, that's fine. But if you do something with drugs and you're greedy, then you're horrible. And my thing is like, look, AIDS is not a death sentence anymore because these guys are greedy. And I know no one likes it, but I like them greedy. I like them competing. . . .

And the second we tell you you can't get filthy rich off of this stuff is the second they go, 'You know what, eh, I'm not gonna put so much into R and D.' . . .

Overall, when the dust settles, here's what I want: I want the greediest guys in the world trying to cure cancer. I want the greediest guys in the world trying to make a car that goes 200 miles on a gallon . . . so it'll get done.