Pour a Scotch, we’re talking clinical trials and prediction markets

In last week’s issue of The Cancer Letter, the cover story featured coverage of Kalshi, an online prediction market exchange, launching a pilot program in which one can place bets on both outcomes of trials and FDA decisions. In this episode of The Cancer Letter Podcast, Paul Goldberg, editor and publisher with The Cancer Letter, and Jacquelyn Cobb, associate editor, discuss the Kalshi’s entrance into betting on clinical trials and drug development. “This is worth reading. I mean, this is, for those who still drink, definitely an excellent accompaniment to a Scotch. It will go well with Scotch,” Paul said. “Even though I prefer vodka, this will go with Scotch.” A big chunk of the story about Kalshi was made up of the answers to a three-question survey that The Cancer Letter administered to members of the oncology community. In the podcast, Jacquelyn and Paul recalled one answer they found particularly enjoyable. “Prediction markets are another opportunity to violate the law, but, if used correctly, there should not be a problem. Overall, I don’t think this is problematic for society, but certainly creates another opportunity for my colleagues to lose money and go to jail,” Mark Ratain, director of the Center for Personalized Therapeutics, the Leon O. Jacobson Professor of Medicine, chief hospital pharmacologist at University of Chicago Medicine, said to The Cancer Letter in last week’s cover story. This episode is sponsored by City of Hope. Learn more at www.cityofhope.org. Stories mentioned in this podcast include: Prediction markets now allow betting on clinical trial results, FDA decisions It’s a high-risk bet: Insider trading, equipoise, integrity of research, public trust are at stake Trump plans a 200% tariff on imported generic drugs by 2029, raising fears of cancer drug shortages Retraction is not refutation: Why chrono-immunotherapy still deserves scientific investigation Joseph F. Fraumeni Jr., inventor of molecular epidemiology, was a “gentle giant” who “bet on the good people” Chanock and Brawley reflect on their illustrious mentor FDA’s OCE publishes three final guidances to increase clinical trial enrollment A transcript of this podcast is available: https://cancerletter.com/podcastc/202...