The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 41 drugs in 2014, its highest tally in 18 years.

The move came following an increase in treatments for cancer and a number of rare diseases. The FDA only approved 27 drugs in 2013.

The rise of innovative medicine has caused a headache for insurers and the government as the pharmaceutical industry continues to set premium prices on these drugs.

15 of the drugs approved by the agency this year are designed to treat rare diseases

–also called “orphan diseases,” which affect less than 200,000 people in the US.

Two of these drugs are having a significant impact on cancer patients as they help their immune cells fight tumors. Additionally, these treatments offer stronger and longer-lasting treatment with less side effects.

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