February 4, 2015

Why not discuss cost in news of new breast cancer drug approval?

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Len Lichtenfeld MD MACP

February 9, 2015 at 4:21 pm

As a source who was quoted in the Fortune magazine article noted above, I want to share that I am “guilty as charged” for not having mentioned the drug’s price in the interview. As frequently happens, these events unfold rapidly. The question at hand was whether the drug represented a new treatment with benefit for women with breast cancer, and the answer to that question is “yes.” It was not until I read the WSJ article later in the day that I became aware of the drug’s cost and realized I hadn’t asked about or mentioned that information during my interview. So, the criticism is valid, and I accept responsility for that oversight in my comments to the reporter. Thanks for pointing out that the cost should have been part of the report.

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