People I (Mostly) Admire 129. How to Fix Medical Research
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Apr 13, 2024 Monica Bertagnolli, the Director of the NIH and former head of the National Cancer Institute, shares her remarkable journey from a Wyoming cattle ranch to leading medical research. She discusses the critical role of federal funding in advancing innovations like mRNA vaccines and CRISPR. Bertagnolli highlights the need for more community engagement in clinical trials and confronts the challenges of self-censorship in healthcare decision-making. With personal narratives interwoven, she emphasizes the importance of transparency and patient involvement in improving cancer care.
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From Ranch to Surgeon
- Monica Bertagnolli grew up on a remote Wyoming cattle ranch, 98 miles from the nearest town.
- Despite this isolation, she attended Princeton and became a surgeon, a rarity for women in the 1980s.
Health Over Economics
- The US spends more on healthcare than any other nation, yet lags in life expectancy.
- The NIH focuses on improving health, not economic considerations, when funding research.
Sickle Cell Cure Cost
- New sickle cell treatments, while effective, cost $2-3 million.
- NIH researchers prioritized finding a cure, not cost, leaving affordability as a later challenge.
