A bill that allows terminally ill patients the “right to try” experimental treatments is now federal law.
President Trump signed that bill on Wednesday a week after it passed Congress. Senator Ron Johnson authored the bill in the Senate, and says advocates have worked for years to bring these bills to governors.
“Really the culmination of the hard work and efforts of thousands of terminally ill patients and families that worked to pass this in 40 states and now we finally have the overriding federal bill that will make all those state bills effective.”
There was some pushback on getting the bill passed in the house. Johnson says drug companies are concerned that patients who are already terminal might die while these drugs are in the testing phase. “Drug companies don’t want their passing to be used as an adverse event in terms of their drug approval process.”
Johnson had special thanks for the Trump administration after the signing.
“It would not have happened were it not for President Trump and Vice President Pence’s tireless leadership and advocacy and leadership. So I really want to thank President Trump and Vice President Pence specifically for helping make this day happen.”
Today’s #RightToTry bill signing was a moment of deserved celebration for everyone who fought to return a little freedom and restore hope to terminally ill patients and their families. I applaud and thank them all. pic.twitter.com/v214qZvcyd
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) May 30, 2018
