Chris Booth, oncologist: The war narrative around cancer leads some patients to receive treatments they would not have otherwise wanted'

Many cancer treatments offer few benefits for a high price, causing toxicity and hospitalization with little value near end-of-life. Current drug evaluation criteria may not reflect actual patient outcomes, leading to a call for reassessment.

Between 2003-2023, 48% of FDA-approved cancer drugs were based on progression-free survival, not total survival. Clinical trials now 85% funded by the pharmaceutical industry, raising concerns about bias.

Oncologists acknowledge the need for change in cancer treatment approaches but lacked a platform for open discussion. Common Sense Oncology initiative aims to address these issues for better patient outcomes.

Read at english.elpais.com