When Cancer Research is Faulty, is it Fraud?

August 30th, 2011. By Hunter West

Cancer is so widespread that it touches us all in some way. Either you have lost a loved one or friend to cancer, you know someone who is afflicted—or you, yourself might be in the throes of battling some kind of cancer. It’s everywhere. Without getting into the debate as to why cancer rates appear to be rising, at least we can take solace in the research that we hope will one day result in a cure.

But perhaps that day may never happen. And recent events involving cancer research and fundraising have raised some doubts as to the effectiveness—and worth—of the cancer machine.

The New York Times recently chronicled the rise and fall of Dr. Anil Potti, a cancer researcher at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Potti and colleagues had undertaken promising studies on genomic testing for molecular traits of cancerous tumors, and determining which chemotherapy treatment would be most appropriate.

Lung cancer patient Juliet Jacobs had a lot to gain and everything to lose, to that promise. Jacobs was part of the Duke University study, hoping for a breakthrough that would prolong her life.

Instead, the promising research was discredited due to the discovery of errors. Four gene signature papers were retracted, three trials at Duke were shuttered and the lead researcher resigned.

Juliet Jacobs died a few months following treatment that promised much but proved ineffective. Her family has launched a lawsuit, as have the relatives of other similarly doomed patients who had high hopes from the Duke research, since dashed.

Then, there’s the controversy in Canada over the allocation of fundraised dollars to research, compared with other needs of an apparently ravenous cancer machine.

A consumer advocacy arm of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation last month looked at the financial records of the Canadian Cancer Society, following a complaint from a cancer researcher that research dollars appear to be harder to get—even though more people are contributing towards a cure for cancer and revenue is increasing.

It should be noted that the proportion of each fundraised dollar allocated for research has always been less than 50 percent once you factor in fundraising and administration (one sector) and ‘Other’ (identified as support, information and advocacy). But research was at least a large part of that pie, if not the largest piece.

But no longer. While research measured in dollars is up slightly since 2000, the proportion when measured against a dramatic increase in fundraising revenue has dropped from 40.3 percent in 2000 to less then 22 percent this year.

Meanwhile, fundraising and administration has jumped from 26 percent to 42.7 percent in the same time frame.

In other words, less than 22 cents of every dollar donated to the Cancer Society in Canada goes to research, v. the 42.7 cents that is spent on bringing that money in. The ‘Other’ sector of the three-piece pie has stayed pretty consistent, as the Society undertakes support and advocacy for cancer patients.

So it appears that the rise in costs associated with raising those dollars, has come at the expense of research dollars.

I don’t know about you, but I usually respond to an invitation to ‘help find a cure’ for cancer. Yes, I know all about cancer patient support and advocacy, which is important. But my dollar is mainly given to help find a cure.

In reality, it appears to be going to support and advocate for people who already have cancer, and to keep people in their jobs with the Society.

I’d almost like to have that money back—especially in light of recent revelations of research gaffes that have served to waste a whole pile of precious research dollars on something that has essentially been poured down the drain.

Cancer patients, who have lost their respective fights amidst shoddy research, will see their legacy carried on by their families and loved ones, many of whom are suing the perpetrators of shoddy research and the sponsoring facilities for misrepresentation.

Losing a dollar, compared with losing a life is no comparison at all. Still, when an organization advertises the need to find a cure only to spend less then 22 cents of your donated buck on finding that cure v. almost 43 cents on the fundraising and administrative machine, can that be interpreted as fraud?

Some will say it is.

Tags: Cancer Drug Clinical Trials, Cancer Drugs, Cancer Research, Cancer Society, Duke University Medical Center

This was posted on Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 at 8:38 am and is filed under Drugs/Medical . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.