The president will be signing the “right to try” bill next week, according to White House officials.
Under this legislation, a person who is critically ill would be allowed to request access to treatments not yet approved by the FDA.
Right to try has naturally drawn backlash from House Democrats and patient safety organizations, who worry sidelining the FDA puts patients in danger. Yes, removing bureaucracy when you're terminal is a horrible thing. The bureaucrats, in their comfortable offices, they might not like the loss of control over you!
Advocacy groups such as the American Cancer Society oppose the bill.
Opponents argue it gives “false hope” to patients since drugmakers aren’t required to give unapproved medicines to patients who ask for them. They also contend that the FDA already has a program that helps patients access investigational drugs and approves 99 percent of those requests. Again, it's the state's bureaucrats who want to decide for you, and hate giving up that power. It's your life, if you understand what you are agreeing to, more power to you.
When you're terminal, there is zero hope currently. If you are willing and understand the risk, why not allow experimental treatments?
Even if the results are negative, at least that helps researchers learn and make adjustments.
