Scott Adams Cancer: Lessons & Reflections

Politicians love to assail drug makers, but what would Americans do without lifesaving medicines? The predicament recently confronted “Dilbert” cartoonist Scott Adamswhose cancer plight illustrates the value of pharmaceutical innovation.

Mr. Adams, 68, disclosed this spring that he has metastatic prostate cancer. Advanced prostate cancer diagnoses among older men have spiked since the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force—an independent panel of putative experts—advised in 2012 against PSA testing, supposedly owing to concerns about it leading to “over-diagnoses” and “over-treatment.” That’s healthcare rationing code for too much spending.