Lack of Finances, Access to Good Healthcare
Another problem is that not everyone has good healthcare. Someone without good healthcare may be too sick to benefit from a new medication by the time they're diagnosed, Dr Caplan said.
"Companies are the major hurdle because they're the ones who have to decide whether to give something or not. Whether they do may depend on whether you can pay them, whether you can travel and have the money to get to where they are," he explained.
"The government should come up with a program to help people pay for compassionate use — not just drugs, but travel, time off from work, hotels, restaurants, and all that kind of thing." Most people need help with these things, Dr Caplan said.