Let’s not endanger further advancements in cancer treatment

OPINION — Anyone who works in the cancer community knows how devastating pancreatic cancer is. It has a tremendously low survival rate and is typically not caught until its late stages.

But at a cancer conference in Chicago this past month, evidence was presented that brought the room to its feet. It was a new drug whose clinical trials have, on average, doubled survival rates. This is tremendous news for the cancer community, and continues recent progress brought against this and many other types of cancer.

It’s important that we step back and take note of what made these strides against cancer possible. It was through an ecosystem where drugs are researched, developed and given rigorous trials. It is only after several years and billions of dollars that these treatments can make it to the patient. That is what makes the United States a leader in this type of biotech innovation.

It is also why leaders in Washington need to shy away from reforms that will remove the incentives for these biotech companies to advance these groundbreaking medications. Any price control policies like Most-Favored-Nation or talk of expanding the IRA in the future would absolutely devastate positive developments like this and endanger all the progress our country has made.

Defeating cancer is a goal that is worth reaching. Congress needs to ensure that the tools are there to do it.

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