America will struggle to pay for ultra-expensive gene therapies

The vial is familiar, the liquid inside could be water—but the price tag is a little more unusual. A shot of Zolgensma, a gene therapy for spinal-muscular atrophy, comes to $2.1m. It is one of a new generation of ultra-expensive medicines. Treatments for beta-thalassemia and haemophilia, two blood disorders, cost $2.8m and $3.5m, respectively. Their prices may be overtaken by gene therapies for sickle-cell disease expected to be approved this year, and one for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which could be approved any day now.