Novartis is poised to market its gene therapy Novartis to treat spinal muscular atrophy, which often kills babies before they reach two years of age . A clinical trial of the therapy involved 12 babies, all of whom have passed their second birthday and achieved milestones in their development. A potential cost of $2 million for the drug has raised concern. With the development pipeline full of innovative drugs designed to treat or cure gut-wrenching diseases, the question of whether a baby's life is worth $2 million — and whether we as a society can afford that — is going to become a familiar one. However, drug companies are increasingly looking to alternative payment models, such as instalments or tying prices to value, to address rising costs.
Novartis is poised to market its gene therapy Novartis to treat spinal muscular atrophy, which often kills babies before they reach two years of age . A clinical trial of the therapy involved 12 babies, all of whom have passed their second birthday and achieved milestones in their development. A potential cost of $2 million for the drug has raised concern. However, drug companies are increasingly looking to alternative payment models, such as instalments or tying prices to value, to address rising costs.