From Gene Editing to Abortion, What to Expect in Health Care in 2024
Medical instruments including a stethoscope and thermometer lie on a table in a doctor's office in Albi, south-western France.
Photographer: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFPHi folks, it’s Kristen and Cynthia in New York. Today, we’re ringing in the New Year with the scoop on the biggest health stories of 2024. But before we dive in…
If we had to come up with a health-related name for 2023, we would probably call it the Year of Ozempic. But it’s a new year, and that means, well, new news. We polled the Bloomberg newsroom to find the themes most likely to dominate 2024. Will this be the Year of Crispr? Or drug-pricing reform? Here’s what our journalists are anticipating:
US regulators just approved the first use of Crispr, the gene-editing technology. Now we'll see whether modifying DNA is a good business. While some 20,000 Americans with sickle cell disease are eligible for the first Crispr treatment, analysts expect that far fewer will actually get it in 2024. That’s because having your genes edited isn’t like taking a pill. It requires months of preparation and taking cancer drugs that can lead to infertility. The other big question is whether insurers will foot the bill for a treatment that costs over $2 million per patient. All of these are major questions as a long list of DNA-altering companies rush to bring their therapies to market. — Gerry Smith, biotech reporter
The big health story this year is going to be how SCOTUS's overturning of Roe v. Wade will impact the 2024 elections. Since the constitutional right to reproductive freedom was overturned, nearly two dozen states have imposed restrictions on abortion, impacting access to that type of care for millions of people. It’s also mobilized voters advocating for state ballot measures to protect abortion rights. Seven states have already voted directly on abortion. All of those cases resulted in victories for pro-choice advocates. — Riley Griffin, national health reporter