Former White House economist: science has delivered a cancer detection revolution, now the FDA must keep pace | Fortune

A Fortune opinion piece argues that science has created a cancer-detection “revolution,” but the FDA must evaluate multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests in a way that matches their diagnostic role. The article says routine screening exists for only a handful of cancers and that recommended programs catch about one in seven cancers diagnosed in the U.S.; nearly 70% of cancer deaths involve cancers without recommended screening tests. It focuses on Galleri, an MCED blood test by GRAIL, and the FDA’s upcoming evaluation. The piece cites a recent large study showing Galleri’s false-positive rate is roughly 0.4% and its positive predictive value about 60%. It argues regulators should compare MCED tools against the real-world alternative—no routine test—rather than require proof of reduced mortality.