Fighting Cancer's Crisis of Confidence, One Study at a Time

Every year the US government spends $5 billion on cancer research. And yet more than 8 million people still die every year from the disease--despite the frequent refrain that a cure is just around the corner. Scientists today are exploring more promising new technologies than ever before: whole-genome sequencing, liquid biopsies, mRNA vaccines, AI-powered imaging analysis. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're more promising. No number of flashy new disruptors can fix cancer research's real problem: much of its data can't be trusted, because it was never validated.