--- title: John Oliver Slams Big Pharma on 'Last Week Tonight' Return description: Walter White could have made a lot more money if he was cooking up rheumatoid-arthritis drugs canonical: https://time.com/3700497/john-oliver-last-week-tonight-big-pharma/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-02-09T05:27:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:49:38.162Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Watch John Oliver Slam the Drug Companies on 'Last Week Tonight' Return og:description: Walter White could have made a lot more money if he was cooking up rheumatoid-arthritis drugs og:url: https://time.com/3700497/john-oliver-last-week-tonight-big-pharma/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt846d784c67b5024b/69877e39e20a870f38a84ffd/4584800962.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: 2014 Stand Up For Heroes - Show og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch John Oliver Slam the Drug Companies on 'Last Week Tonight' Return twitter:description: Walter White could have made a lot more money if he was cooking up rheumatoid-arthritis drugs twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt846d784c67b5024b/69877e39e20a870f38a84ffd/4584800962.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch John Oliver Slam the Drug Companies on _Last Week Tonight_ Return > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: Watch John Oliver Win the Lottery Debate [Watch (HLS stream): Watch John Oliver Win the Lottery Debate](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ExO6WtWO.m3u8) (0:30)  _Published 2014-11-10. Watch John Oliver Win the Lottery Debate on Last Week Tonight_ by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Feb 9, 2015 5:27 AM UTC  John Oliver attends 2014 Stand Up for Heroes at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Nov. 5, 2014 John Oliver attends 2014 Stand Up for Heroes at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Nov. 5, 2014Andrew H. Walker—Getty Images by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Feb 9, 2015 5:27 AM UTC John Oliver was not on vacation during his hiatus — he was taking a little break similar to the one [NBC anchor Brian Williams](http://time.com/3700004/brian-williams-nbc-news-iraq-hiatus/) is on right now. His crime? Misreporting hamster genitalia. Of course, that wasn’t the _only_ thing on his mind. The Argentinian President’s [racist tweet](http://time.com/3695311/argentina-president-kirchner-chinese-accent/), the sad demise of RadioShack and the U.S. Congressman who decorated his office like _Downton Abbey_ were all on Oliver’s agenda. His real ire and mockery were reserved for the prescription-drug industry. Americans spent close to $330 billion on prescription drugs last year, which Oliver points out means that _Breaking Bad_’s Walter White could have made a lot more money if he was cooking up rheumatoid-arthritis drugs instead of meth. According to Oliver, the culprit behind America’s prescription-drug problem is not doctors per se, but pharmaceutical companies pushing their products in semicompelling advertising that ends with three little words: “Ask your doctor.” **MORE:** [6 Things John Oliver Should Tackle Next](http://time.com/3699446/john-oliver-season-two/) Oliver says Big Pharma wants you to talk to your doctor, because they have spent billions of dollars marketing their drugs to physicians. Oliver’s research revealed that pharmaceutical companies spent $24 billion marketing directly to doctors last year. According to one study quoted by Oliver, 9 out of 10 top drugmakers spent more on marketing drugs than researching the drugs. In Oliver’s words, “Drug companies are like high school boyfriends: they are more interested in getting inside you than in being effective once they are there.” He then described some of the tactics used by pharmaceutical reps — the usually comely on-the-ground soldiers who peddle the drugs to doctors. Perks to doctors include actual free lunches, large speaking fees and much more. The result? According to Oliver, massive settlements from the pharmaceutical companies for overstepping laws. Oliver suggests prescribing Big Pharma a healthy dose of transparency in the form of a “pharmaceutical money” advertisement showing the effects of their drugs and their perks on doctors. 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