Worklife with Adam Grant How David Fajgenbaum saved his own life — and thousands of others
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Mar 25, 2025 
David Fajgenbaum, a physician-scientist who defied death at 25 by repurposing a drug to save his own life, shares his remarkable journey. He discusses the potential of AI in drug discovery and how his nonprofit, EveryCure, aims to unlock existing medicines for various diseases. The conversation dives into the emotional toll of illness and the importance of resilience and innovation in medical research, as well as the need for a mindset shift in the pharmaceutical industry to prioritize affordable treatments for rare diseases.
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Self-Treatment
- David Fajgenbaum, a medical student, faced death due to Castleman's disease.
- He saved himself by repurposing an existing drug and testing it on his own blood.
Survivorship Bias
- Self-experimentation in medicine has survivorship bias.
- Only successful cases are known, ignoring the many who tried and failed.
Finding a Drug
- Fajgenbaum repurposed a drug while battling Castleman's disease.
- He tested it on himself after his doctor said there were no other options left.