A Cancer Detection Test Fails in Major Study
The New York Times • • business
Key Points:
- Grail announced that its blood test Galleri, designed for early cancer detection, failed to reduce late-stage cancer diagnoses in a major clinical trial, raising doubts about the effectiveness of such screening methods.
- Galleri detects tiny fragments of cancer DNA and screens for over 50 cancer types; it has been sold in the U.S. since 2021 for $949 despite lacking FDA approval, with most customers paying out of pocket due to limited insurance coverage.
- The company has sold nearly half a million tests and is lobbying for Medicare coverage following recent legislation authorizing government coverage of cancer detection tests, potentially including Galleri.
- Grail plans to present more detailed clinical trial results at a cancer conference in the spring, while the initial announcement was made
