Letters on "The Cost of Cancer Drugs"

In the mail: Our story on the cost of cancer drugs drew fire from the Community Oncology Alliance, or COA, an organization of cancer physicians. In the story, we reported that Medicare is required to pay prescribing doctors a percentage over and above the price of the medications - creating an incentive, some doctors told us, to use a pricier drug, since it means higher payment for doctors. COA president Bruce Gould wrote:

To imply that we knowingly provide care motivated by personal financial gain is simply wrong ... and unnecessarily undermines patients dealing with devastating illness.

-Bruce J. Gould, MD