NPR

R&D Costs For Cancer Drugs Are Likely Much Less Than Industry Claims, Study Finds

Industry says it costs about $2.7 billion to bring a cancer drug to market. But oncologists who ran the numbers put the average closer to $650 million. Drugs are priced way too high, the doctors say.
A study of chemotherapy medicines produced by 10 companies found that, on average, each drug produced seven times as much revenue for its manufacturer as it cost in research and development.

Cancer drugs cost far less to develop than industry-backed research asserts, an analysis published Monday asserts. Research and development costs are a major reason that drug companies justify high prices, so this dispute has a direct bearing on the cost of medical care.

The , published in the current issue of , concludes that it costs, on average, $650 million to develop a new cancer drug. The authors add in another $100 million or so to

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
A Car-free Town In The Amazon Serves Lessons For Pedaling To Net Zero Emissions
Afuá, a remote town in the Brazilian Amazon, banned motor vehicles over 20 years ago. Writer Mac Margolis and photographer Stefan Kolumban paid the town a visit to see what life is like.
NPR17 min readAmerican Government
What Did Trump Say? Explaining The Former President's Favorite Talking Points
Former President Donald Trump continues to ratchet up his rhetoric on the campaign trail, but if someone doesn't follow Trump all the time, decoding his meaning can get confusing. We're here to help.
NPR2 min read
Hiking The Azores Into Lush Mountains And Stormy North Atlantic Weather
NPR correspondent Brian Mann went trekking on Sao Miguel, one of the most remote islands in the North Atlantic. He found volcanic mountains, birdsong, solitude and lots of rain.

Related Books & Audiobooks