On the recordMarch 21, 2018
I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 5247, the so-called right- to-try legislation. This bill does not give patients the right to try; rather, it gives patients the right to request, which fails to address real barriers to accessing experimental drugs such as drug costs or company restrictions. I will reiterate that patients already have the right to try through an expedited process that approves 99 percent of requests it receives. This legislation, however, fails to recognize that, if a patient is denied access, it is usually because a drug manufacturer says no due to manufacturer concerns about safety or side effects, not because the FDA denied a request. I know, like everyone else, I have heard from many constituents suffering from terminal illnesses such as ALS who are desperate for cures; and I believe that every single one of us in this Chamber has confronted, in some way, a family member--mother, father, spouse--who had, heartbreakingly, an illness that had no cure. We have gone through the process many times, and I think we all have felt desperate from time to time. However, having said that, just because a person at the end has no hope, to try something that might make things worse so you cannot go on to a more peaceful resolution would be hurtful not only to the patient, but to the family.…
