'No cancer on Mars': Ronnie Screwvala's THIS $30 billion appeal to Elon Musk could spook pharma lobby

Entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala has sparked a spirited debate online by suggesting that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk should allocate $30 billion toward finding a cure for cancer and Alzheimer's. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Screwvala proposed that such an initiative could not only pioneer groundbreaking medical research but also put pressure on philanthropist Bill Gates to match the contribution — particularly in light of Gates' past shorting of Tesla stock.

Screwvala's post read: “Elon Musk should earmark 30 billion dollars for leading/finding a cure for Cancer and Alzheimer's for Planet Earth (no cancer on Mars) and along the way embarrass the hell out of Bill Gates to put in another 30 billion dollars (redemption for shorting Tesla stock).”

The bold idea gained traction. Investor Chetan Shah suggested that this transformative idea may challenge established lobbies in the near future: "You will see a lot of such things in the next four years. Not just pharma, even the junk food/fast food lobby will also get some nice JATKA."

Users on X praised the idea's potential to confront the power of pharmaceutical giants. One user commented, "Wow, this indeed is an amazing idea. @RobertKennedyJr sir cancer, alzheimers, AIDS and other diseases with the help of billionaires can be eradicated & dent the pharma lobby." 

Another user added, “Very justified point. Hope it is considered, discussed, and implemented.”

Screwvala's challenge to allocate billions toward medical research points to concerns about the pharmaceutical industry’s focus on treatment over cures. He emphasised the potential impact of a "huge war-chest" of $60 billion — jointly funded by Musk and Gates — stating it could “spook the Pharma Lobby/cartel who may not want to see the cure given the treatment of the same makes them billions each year."