Wall Street Journal criticizes FDA officials for blocking melanoma cancer treatment

The Wall Street Journal editorial board criticized a Trump administration official for obstructing promising cancer research, specifically an experimental melanoma immunotherapy. FDA official Vinay Prasad and Commissioner Marty Makary rejected the treatment, RP1, a modified herpes virus therapy, for a second time. The therapy showed significant remission rates in patients with late-stage melanoma. The rejection was based on the lack of a control group, a standard practice for such deadly diseases. The board warned this decision could negatively impact future drug development and patient access to treatments.