Wisconsin lawmakers are considering a bill crafted to grant terminally ill patients access to experimental treatments that have yet to earn full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, according to The Cap Times.
The "right to try" bill was introduced in the Wisconsin legislature by Reps. Pat Snyder, R-Schofield, and Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc.
"By putting these medical decisions back in the hands of the patient and their physician, we're ensuring the patient has every right to explore their treatment options that are safe, legal and available," Mr. Snyder told representatives on the Assembly Health Committee, according to the Cap Times.
While the bill has garnered bipartisan support from legislators, some in the medical community have voiced opposition.
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Mark Grapentine, a lobbyist for the Wisconsin Medical Society, said the group opposes the proposed legislation because it sidesteps science established by the FDA approval process. Physicians in the state are concerned the legislation could reduce the number of participants in clinical trials, which in turn could hinder drug development.
"When you're dealing with terminally ill patients that are in the worst times of their lives, you have families that are going through hell and they want to do absolutely anything possible for their family member or for themselves," said Mr. Grapentine, according to the Cap Times. He warned the bill could "somewhat ironically, [slow] down the process to develop drugs that could be that miracle, that could be helpful [for patients]."
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