“We’re entering a new frontier in medical innovation with the ability to reprogram a patient’s own cells to attack a deadly cancer,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb in a prepared statement. On Monday, Gilead Sciences purchased Novartis' leading rival, Kite Pharma, for $11 billion, signaling a high price for the treatments. Similar CAR-T treatments were being developed at other institutions including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Seattle Children's Hospital, and the National Cancer Institute. This destroys cancerous cells and healthy ones alike, but it's worth it to get rid of the cancer. In the meantime, much of the discussion around this new breakthrough is likely to focus on whatever price Novartis sets.

Source: Forbes August 30, 2017 16:01 UTC