Interview: Christopher Cogle
Professor Christopher Cogle argues that the healthcare innovation ecosystem focuses too heavily on FDA approval while neglecting the practical challenges of affordability and accessibility. He advocates for innovators to prioritize the end-user's ability to receive treatment from the earliest stages of development.
Why it matters
This perspective highlights a critical systemic gap in medical innovation, where scientifically advanced treatments often fail to reach the patients who need them most due to economic barriers.
Christopher Cogle | Professor, University of Florida; Director, Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy, Gainesville, USA
Citation: Oncol AMJ. 2026;3[1]:107-111. https://doi.org/10.33590/oncolamj/25RG6Q5H
Moving back and forth among the bedside, the laboratory, and the policy arena has given me a wide view of health. As a medical oncologist, I’ve cared for patients with leukemia whose lives depended on highly specialized treatments. As a biologist, I’ve spent years tinkering with molecular mechanisms that drive disease. At the same time, my public service career has given me the opportunity to design and lead health systems that serve millions of Medicaid recipients.
What I’ve learned is that innovation doesn’t end at the laboratory door. A new therapy creates value only when patients can actually receive it. Too often, our innovation ecosystem celebrates FDA approval as the finish line, while neglecting the harder challenge of affordability and access.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in