New evidence published by The BMJ today casts doubt on a much-hyped blood test for the NHS that promises to detect more than 50 types of cancer.
The test, called Galleri, has been hailed as a “ground-breaking and potentially life-saving advance” by its maker, the California biotech company Grail, and the NHS is currently running a trial of the test involving more than 100,000 people in England, report Dr. Margaret McCartney and investigative journalist Deborah Cohen.
NHS England claims the test can identify many cancers that “are difficult to diagnose early”–such as head and neck, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers–and that if it is effective, it could be used in a national screening program.
Trial success would also hand Grail a lucrative deal with the NHS, which–if results are favorable–has agreed to buy millions of tests in exchange for a new state-of-the-art facility built by Grail in the UK. Although contract details remain confidential, a single test in the U.S. currently retails for $950.
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