A new cancer pill won FDA approval. Patients can't get it

Rasonque, a pancreatic cancer pill, cleared its biggest hurdle on Aug. 26. It targets the genetic mutation behind most pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancers there is. But STAT News found that winning FDA approval didn't mean patients could actually start taking it. Insurance coverage takes weeks to catch up. That leaves some newly-eligible patients stuck waiting while their cancer keeps growing.

The drug's maker, Revolution Medicines, lists Rasonque at $39,800 for a single month's supply. That's about $480,000 a year before discounts. It's a real number few patients can pay out of pocket while they wait for their insurer to approve coverage. The company offers a short bridge: a few free weeks of pills, plus co-pay assistance, while paperwork catches up. STAT's own reporting is what surfaced this gap.

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How many other approved drugs sit in this same gap, priced and legal but not yet reachable? Pancreatic cancer moves fast, and patients often can't afford to wait. A drug that works on paper only helps patients who can actually get it in time.