Asymmetrical Information

Why not just say that profits from any drug developed that cures or prevents cancer are tax free? Let the drug companies bear the cost of blind alleys. If the feds underwrite the search, what incentive is there to stay out of blind alleys once you suspect you are in one?

Maybe because the pharmas know that as soon as they develop said drug, such promises will be forgotten, since any money they make from it will be seen as blood money wrung from the backs of poor suffering cancer patients?

I can certainly understand Sen. Spector's sense of desperation.

My father died of stomach cancer, a particularily gruesome form, as did his father. All of my father's four brothers died of various forms of cancer as did his only sister.

The only one to live longer than their mid-60's, the youngest was 42 when he died, was my aunt whose died last month of colon cancer at the age of 75.

By the date of the original 2015 goal stated by the NCI, I will be between the ages at which my grandfather and father died.

The perspective of staring squarely down the barrel of this particular gun prevents me from
criticising Sen. Spector for placing hope before reason.

There is one thing the federal government could do that would reduce the suffering from cancer now. Stop interfering with medical marijuana in the states that allow it.

But for a cancer cure or preventative, 2015 is as unrealistic as 2010. It's going to take technology that's not even imagined yet.

Spector has a very treatable form of cancer (Hodgkins) with cure rates over 90%.

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