Fee-for-Service Research

Abstract

The development of monoclonal antibodies to treat cancer, and particularly the possibility of designing a set unique for each patient, has raised the specter of such experimental treatments someday being offered by for-profit companies to those who can afford to underwrite the costs of the research. Lind discusses some of the scientific, economic, and ethical issues raised by this kind of fee-for-service research. These include lack of patient protection by ethics committees, government regulation, or informed consent requirements; restriction of information and availability of treatment due to the developer's proprietary interests; conflict of interest for the researcher/physician; unequal access to new treatments; and possible depletion of family resources spent to purchase unproven therapies. (KIE abstract)