Either way, they've received the drug. Hope something good comes out of it.

The other articles touch on it – if his father dies, this drug (which is already undergoing a Phase I study for cancer) could be delayed, costing thousands of patients the opportunity to use this drug in the future. This drug is not approved for cancer treatment – it takes hundreds of patients and millions of dollars to determine whether a drug is safe and effective. All of that research is in jeopardy if Mr. Baron cuts in line and takes the drug. Biogen isn't being inhumane, they are looking at thousands of future patients who will benefit from a thorough study of the drug, not the one patient who may or may not…

Does simply because he's pulling strings mean a life should be discounted just to make a statement that 'no one deserves special treatment'?

Using these political hotshots might be harmful for the plead. Can you see these guys have already done a lot of harm to the US economy?

I also read somewhere(I can't verify though) that they also retain all their security clearance and such. Not sure how true this is though…