NPR LIVE-The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: New Opportunities, New Questions For Nonprofits

Today NPR’s The Dianne Rehms Show hosted a segment on the exciting funds raised by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The segment involved Dr. Bob  Coughlin, President and CEO of Massachusetts Biotechnology Counsel, Dr. Christopher Austin, Director of the NCATS at the NIH, Robert Beall, the Chief Executive of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Margaret Anderson, the Executive Director of Faster Cures.

The discussion centered around how The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation raises about $130 million a year in its ongoing effort to help people who suffer with the deadly disease, and how that amount seems small change in comparison with the $3.3 billion it just received related to an investment it made years ago in small drug development company.

For a health-related nonprofit, $3.3 billion is a jaw dropping amount. It gives the foundation the means to explore all kinds of new ways to help patients and to look for a cure, but the projected per patient cost of this drug, $373,000 per year, raises concerns. Please join us to discuss new questions about venture philanthropy.