‘Declining Fast’: Dilbert Creator Pleads With Trump for Help Forcing Insurance Company To Provide Cancer Treatment
The creator of the Dilbert cartoon and avid President Trump supporter, Scott Adams, received assistance from the White House on Sunday after he made a public appeal requesting the president’s intervention with his health insurance company. Adams sought help to expedite a new treatment for his fast-moving and drug-resistant prostate cancer.
Adams, who said he is “declining fast,” was headed to the emergency room on Sunday, just hours after reaching out for President Trump’s help with Kaiser of Northern California.
In his public message, Adams wrote:
“I need it. My healthcare provider, Kaiser of Northern California, has approved my application to receive a newly FDA-approved drug called Pluvicto. But they have dropped the ball in scheduling the brief IV to administer it, and I can’t seem to fix that.”
He added, “I am declining fast. I will ask President Trump if he can get Kaiser of Northern California to respond and schedule it for Monday. That will give me a fighting chance to stick around on this planet a little bit longer. It is not a cure, but it does give good results to many people.”
In response to Adams’s post, President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., quickly replied that he would ensure his father was informed about the situation. Shortly after, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary for Health and Human Services, reached out directly to Adams, writing:
“Scott. How do I reach you? The President wants to help.”
This prompt response earned praise from fans and supporters.
### About Pluvicto
Pluvicto is a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2022, designed to treat advanced prostate cancer that contains prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and is resistant to hormone therapy and chemotherapy.
The treatment involves a regular course of six intravenous (IV) infusions over six weeks, delivering radiation directly to cancer cells to help slow tumor growth and prevent further spread.
According to Novartis, the drug’s manufacturer, when combined with standard care, Pluvicto has reduced the risk of cancer progression or death by 28% compared to standard therapy alone.
### Costs and Market Growth
Pluvicto costs approximately $48,533 per dose in the United States, with a full six-dose course totaling around $291,198 before insurance or discounts.
Novartis reported a 60% increase in new patients prescribed Pluvicto in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter. The drug generated $454 million in sales during that period, and the company aims to double the number of patients receiving Pluvicto by the end of the year.
### Scott Adams’s Diagnosis and Prognosis
Adams announced his cancer diagnosis in May, shortly after President Joe Biden revealed he had been diagnosed with the same type of cancer. The disease has since spread to Adams’s bones, mirroring Biden’s condition.
Adams has publicly stated that he does not expect to recover from the disease, which has severely impacted his mobility—requiring the use of a walker—and has caused intense and constant pain. However, he believes that Pluvicto can help slow the progression of his cancer.
### Health Insurance and Government Context
As millions of Americans await a government reopening deal stalled by debates over extending subsidies for health insurance premiums, Kaiser Permanente has confirmed it will cover the cost of Pluvicto for patients who meet eligibility requirements.
Adams’s case highlights the challenges many cancer patients face in accessing newly approved, potentially life-extending treatments amid complex insurance and healthcare bureaucracy.
https://www.nysun.com/article/declining-fast-dilbert-creator-pleads-with-trump-for-help-forcing-insurance-company-to-provide-cancer-treatment
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