The Goldwater Institute has been the driving force in the Right To Try movement, which seeks to allow dying patients with no other options to access investigational medicines. The Right to Try has already become law in 24 states with bipartisan support. But some opposition remains. The primary argument against the Right To Try is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration already has an effective alternative for dying patients called Expanded Access, more commonly known as compassionate use.
Now, a new investigation by the Goldwater Institute shows that terminally ill patients rarely have the opportunity to even apply for compassionate use. The complicated and time-consuming process strongly discourages doctors and researchers from working with patients to try treatments that might save their lives. Each year, only about 1,200 terminally ill patients in America will even be able to submit an application for compassionate use. This year, nearly 600,000 Americans will die of cancer alone.
Please read our investigative report “Dead on Arrival: Federal ‘compassionate use’ leaves little hope for dying patients”: http://goldwaterinstitute.org/en/work/topics/healthcare/right-to-try/dead-on-arrival-federal-compassionate-use-leaves-l/.
Goldwater Institute President Darcy Olsen will present this report to Congress tomorrow, February 25, when she testifies before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. She will be joined by other Right To Try supporters including Diego Morris and Jordan McLinn. The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern time and to watch it live on the Internet, please click here.
Thank you for your interest and your continued support.
Mark Flatten
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