E35: Biogen's controversial Alzheimer's drug approval, the billionaire space race, Bitcoin & more
- Jun 12, 2021
- 1:35:37
- Full Episode
Follow the besties: https://twitter.com/chamath https://linktr.ee/calacanis https://twitter.com/DavidSacks https://twitter.com/friedberg
Follow the pod: https://twitter.com/theallinpod https://linktr.ee/allinpodcast
Show Notes: 0:00 Bestie intro, Chamath's whereabouts 2:54 Breaking down Biogen's Alzheimer's drug & the FDA's controversial approval 26:46 Billionaire space race: Is Bezos going to space too risky or a smart marketing move? How the space industry is a perfect example of effective government intervention. Can anyone dominate space? 42:55 Big Tech getting back to the office: what is the new normal for companies with thousands of employees? 56:49 Recent factors on the commercial & private real estate markets, inflation head fake 1:05:01 ProPublica's report on billionaire tax returns 1:15:58 Bitcoin toxicity, Snowflake's CEO apologizes for comments on merit & diversity 1:32:48 Science corner with Friedberg: Induced pluripotent stem cells & cloning
Intro Music Credit: https://rb.gy/tppkzl https://twitter.com/yung_spielburg
Referenced in the show: https://www.statnews.com/2021/06/07/fda-grants-historic-approval-to-alzheimers-drug-designed-to-slow-cognitive-decline/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-10/harvard-expert-quits-fda-panel-as-furor-over-biogen-drug-grows https://www.instagram.com/p/CP0MSOqnYEo https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-lets-more-employees-choose-full-time-remote-work-or-return-to-the-office-11623258049 https://news.yahoo.com/salesforce-ceo-marc-benioff-on-slack-acquisition-135151402.html https://socketsite.com/archives/2021/04/visualizing-all-the-vacant-office-space-in-san-francisco.html https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-you-sell-a-house-these-days-the-buyer-might-be-a-pension-fund-11617544801 https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/T10YIE https://www.propublica.org/article/the-secret-irs-files-trove-of-never-before-seen-records-reveal-how-the-wealthiest-avoid-income-tax https://www.aqr.com/Insights/Research/Journal-Article/Buffetts-Alpha https://www.ft.com/content/42daca9e-facc-11e7-9bfc-052cbba03425 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-07/snowflake-ceo-offers-apologies-support-for-hiring-diversity
Tweets: https://twitter.com/Jason/status/1401938511826067457 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1386825367948644352 https://twitter.com/micsolana/status/1403394491143315456 https://twitter.com/Jason/status/1403023180709580801
Brief Summary
The episode covers Biogen's Alzheimer's drug approval, remote work policies, and toxicity in the cryptocurrency community.
Key points
- Biogen's Alzheimer's Drug Approved. The FDA approved Biogen's drug, the first new Alzheimer's treatment in nearly two decades, despite controversy over its efficacy.
- FDA's Controversial Approval Process. Three members of the FDA advisory panel quit after a unanimous vote against a controversial Alzheimer's drug approval.
- FDA Approval Debate. The discussion revolves around the FDA's role in approving drugs for terminal illnesses.
- Bezos in Space. Jeff Bezos plans to be the first billionaire in space, sparking a new space race.
- Government vs. Private Sector in Space. The debate over whether government or private companies should lead space exploration heats up.
- Work from Home Policies. Companies struggle to balance remote work policies amidst employee petitions.
Episode highlights
- Biogen's Alzheimer's Drug ApprovedThe FDA approved Biogen's drug, the first new Alzheimer's treatment in nearly two decades, despite controversy over its efficacy.“It's hope for people suffering.”3:44Jun 12, 2021
- FDA's Controversial Approval ProcessThree members of the FDA advisory panel quit after a unanimous vote against a controversial Alzheimer's drug approval.“What is the FDA doing approving a drug?”10:11Jun 12, 2021
- FDA Approval DebateThe discussion revolves around the FDA's role in approving drugs for terminal illnesses.“I would let the drug through and watch how it performs over the next couple of years.”17:56Jun 12, 2021
- Bezos in SpaceJeff Bezos plans to be the first billionaire in space, sparking a new space race.“This is so freaking cool!”32:57Jun 12, 2021
- Government vs. Private Sector in SpaceThe debate over whether government or private companies should lead space exploration heats up.“It's a worthy program to fund.”34:50Jun 12, 2021
- Work from Home PoliciesCompanies struggle to balance remote work policies amidst employee petitions.“The ability to supervise their employees is a concern.”46:01Jun 12, 2021
- Work from Home PoliciesThe shift to remote work raises questions about trust and employee motivation.“You have to trust them to be self-motivated.”51:24Jun 12, 2021
- Housing Crisis and Wealth InequalityThe housing market is facing a crisis as hedge funds buy up homes, impacting first-time buyers.“It's a nightmare trend.”1:01:01Jun 12, 2021
