--- title: "Kalshi Defends Plan to Bet on Lives of Cancer Patients" description: "Prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket have long garnered a reputation for allowing users to make all kinds of ethically dubious bets, from the [outcomes of deadly conflicts]() to [raging wildfires]()." date: "2026-08-05" modified: "2026-08-05" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/health-medicine/kalshi-defends-bet-drug-trials" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" - "Medical" - "Treatments" --- # Kalshi Defends Plan to Bet on Lives of Cancer Patients ![A color-treated photo of a child patient in a hospital.]() *Shutterstock / Futurism* Prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket have long garnered a reputation for allowing users to make all kinds of ethically dubious bets, from the [outcomes of deadly conflicts]() to [raging wildfires](). And as the [*New York Times* reports](), Kalshi will even allow users to bet on whether clinical trials for potentially lifesaving drug trials will succeed. But to researchers, it's yet another morally bankrupt concept that could put real people in danger. There's even risk that those enrolled in these trials could choose to drop out if the market were to bet against a positive outcome. "Turning loose a betting market in an ongoing randomized clinical trial really is a breach of scientific conduct," Robert Califf, who served as FDA commissioner in the Biden administration, told the *NYT*. Kalshi first announced its "biotech prediction markets pilot program" last month, the same day president Donald Trump's teleprompter guy was [busted for winning more than $100,000]() on Kalshi by betting on what he would say. The company argued in the [announcement]() that a "publicly listed contract on a trial or regulatory outcome produces a continuously updated, public probability that reflects the weight of the evidence rather than the preferred messaging of the trial sponsor." In a statement to the *NYT*, spokesperson Jack Such argued that these bets wouldn't undermine research integrity, but instead cut through the hype surrounding biotech companies and the drugs they're working on. But those enrolled in drug trials were left appalled by the news. "We’re literally trying to stay alive," metastatic pancreatic cancer patient Walter Ingaharro Jr. told the *NYT*. "It’s not a game. The introduction of gambling into the process really creates an ethical mess." In an [opinion piece for *The Guardian*](), Boston University humanities professor Joshua Pederson talked about how his 12-year-old son has a "very aggressive tumor growing inches below his heart." "If Kalshi has its way, you could soon be able to bet on health treatments that could be essential to his survival," Pederson argued. While choosing a trial for his son's cancer was a "terrifying experiment for which we feel ill-prepared," turning to a prediction market instead of "our extremely qualified team of oncologists" feels "preposterous," Pederson argued. In short, it's yet another example of prediction markets crossing a moral boundary by gamifying things with real-world consequences. "The possibility that somebody out there might be wagering against my son, hoping that the treatment fails so they can make money, is enraging," Pederson wrote. "How is this not just another type of 'death market' — like markets for war or assassination — that even Kalshi says it won’t abide?" **More on prediction markets:** [*In Case You Still Think Insider Trading on Prediction Markets Isn’t Real, Trump’s Teleprompter Guy Just Got Busted for Getting Rich on Betting What He Would Say*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()