In a viewpoint article published online on January 5, 2023 in JAMA Oncology, Dennis Cooper, M.D., Mendel Goldfinger, M.D., and colleagues contend that CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma has not been delivered in a socially just manner. The authors call into question the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirement that multiple myeloma patients must first receive four other types of therapy before they are allowed to receive CAR-T, making patients with late-stage disease unlikely to survive the wait. They also note the lack of access to CAR-T treatment centers and the current treatment allocation system that favors patients living in metropolitan areas.

Dr. Cooper is professor of oncology and of medicine at Einstein and clinical program director of cellular therapy at Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center. Dr. Goldfinger is an assistant professor of oncology and of medicine at Einstein and clinical program director of hematologic malignancies at Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center.