Interest in Precision Medicine Grows, But Reimbursements Slow

Precision medicine, in which drugs are matched to individual patients, has generated tons of buzz, from patient organizations all the way to the White House. But insurers have been grappling with whether to pay for the genetic tests that often guide such treatments, and that uncertainty has had ripple effects through the biotech companies working to develop them.

The case of Foundation Medicine, based in Cambridge, Mass., demonstrates the quest companies sometimes have to undertake to get their products covered, a process complicated when that product is a cutting-edge technology insurers aren’t sure how to assess.

Foundation analyzes the genes of a patient’s tumor to identify what’s driving the cancer and, from that, to determine what treatment will work best. The company announced this week that UnitedHealth Group had started covering its genetic test for patients with a certain lung cancer. That decision, by the country’s largest private health insurer, represents a milestone for the company as it looks to strike deals with more insurers.

Image via Flickr.