Terminally ill patients deserve “Right to try”

Certainly they deserve the right to try. That is why it is good to see President Trump sign federal legislation allowing those with deadly illnesses to pursue one final chance at health. Trump signed what is called the Right To Try bill, which allows the terminally ill to seek access to medication even if it has not been fully approved by the FDA. This mirrors legislation on the books in 40 states, including, recently, Wisconsin. It gives much needed hope, and maybe more, to those with terminal conditions who want one more chance at life. They are willing to take medicine which is still in the experimental phase of FDA approval, knowing that it may not work. But how can we deny them the opportunity to try? Even if the drugs aren’t successful, at least granting patients access to them may lift their optimism and give them a better quality of life in their final days. Allowing them access also may eliminate stress, as they can now work directly with their doctor and medical companies without having to wait for all the red tape required for government approval. The bill doesn’t require insurance companies to cover the experimental drugs, but no doubt finances is among a dying patient’s lesser worries. There is no guarantee any of these drugs will work, but the federal government is doing the right thing by at least offering some hope to those with little left.