Cancer drugs and the FDA: Safety vs. saving lives (media/ovarian cancer/moonshot)

Miami Herald

  All the cancer doctors interviewed feel encouraged about the Obama administration’s $1 billion “moonshot” to cure cancer — although they’re not sure how much it will mean.

“For the last 10 years, the field has been starved for resources,” DeVita said.

Nimer at Sylvester welcomes the discussion, but “most doctors aren’t going to refer to cures for cancer,” since researchers know cancer is really many diseases with myriad treatment options, and no silver bullet is going to permanently fix all these diseases. In such a context, $1 billion doesn’t go far.
DeVita said that when he referred to 100,000 more people who he believed could be cured each year, he was citing American Cancer Society reports that include all of those who don’t now get proper treatment.
One example: Nimer pointed to a recent New York Times report that less than half of patients with ovarian cancer are getting the recommended care.
Still, Nimer added: “The one message to take away is this: “We’re making incredible progress against cancer.”

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