Doris Matsui: “I thank the ranking member for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this proposed right-to-try…”

“I thank the ranking member for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this proposed right-to-try legislation. This bill offers patients false hope. It proposes a pathway to experimental drugs that offers absolutely no guarantee of access, while stripping patients of any legal or financial recourse, and places clinical trials at risk. {time} 1800 Last week, I am sure like everyone else, I heard from many constituents on behalf of their families and communities with devastating diseases, like multiple sclerosis. When a family member is faced with a devastating diagnosis, you would do anything and try anything to improve their quality of life. I know. I have been there with family members in such heartbreaking situations. But this bill would not necessarily make it easier to get experimental treatments and it would definitely make it harder for patients in the future to get treatments. We need clinical trials to ensure drugs are safe and effective and to find real cures and treatments for these patients. Because this bill would be dangerous for patients both today and in the future, many disease groups oppose the bill, including the National Organization for Rare Disorders, the American Cancer Society, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and more. Rushing this bill without proper bipartisan oversight places the American people in the way of real harm. Rescinding FDA oversight on unproven therapies is a perilous proposition. Mr.…”