A new blood test called Galleri, which claims to detect over 50 types of cancer, is under scrutiny.
The NHS has been testing Galleri on over 100,000 people in England, and the test has been promoted as a potential breakthrough by its maker, Grail, a California biotech company.
The NHS suggests that Galleri can identify cancers that are often hard to diagnose early, such as head and neck, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers. If successful, it could become part of a national screening program.
Success in the trial would also secure Grail a significant contract with the NHS, including the construction of a new facility in the UK. Currently, each test costs $950 in the US.
However, new evidence published by The BMJ raises doubts about the trial’s suitability for national screening. Some experts believe Galleri has been overly praised, and they consider the current trial to be unethical.
Leaked documents and emails show that even the chair of the UK National Screening Committee has expressed “serious concerns” to NHS England’s chief executive.
Interim results from the trial, expected this month, have not been published. Instead, NHS England stated that the results were not “compelling enough” to make a decision, delaying the final verdict until 2026.
Freedom of Information requests by The BMJ have revealed concerns about the close ties between key government officials and Grail. Meetings have occurred with figures like ex-prime minister Lord Cameron and Nadhim Zahawi, a former minister.
An NHS England spokesperson defended the trial, stating it was one of the most thorough investigations ever conducted in any health-care system.
However, an anonymous NHS England source criticized the process, saying that the clinical and scientific data do not support the test and that the trial was not conducted transparently. They believe it was not well-planned.
Adding to the controversy, Grail faces a class action lawsuit in the US. Investors claim the company exaggerated Galleri’s effectiveness to boost its share price, leading to significant financial losses.
Richard Sullivan, director of the Institute of Cancer Policy at King’s College London, described Grail as “a clear-cut case of public risk and private profit.”
He stressed the need for a more rigorous and transparent review of medical technology research, especially when it involves extensive use of NHS resources. Sullivan also criticized the hype around such technologies, arguing it does not serve the public interest.
The situation serves as a reminder to the new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, who aims to make the UK a leader in life sciences and medical technology.
Sullivan suggests that the government needs to improve how it reviews clinical research in this field and adopt a more realistic and transparent approach.
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The research findings can be found in The BMJ.
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