Stutzman Introduces Legislation to Guarantee All Americans the Right to Try

Press Release

Yesterday Congressman Marlin Stutzman (IN-03), along with Reps. Matt Salmon (AZ-05) and Paul Gosar (AZ-04), introduced H.R. 3012, the Right to Try Act of 2015, a bill to allow American citizens access to investigational drugs that have passed the Food and Drug Administration's basic safety testing, but have not yet been fully approved.

"Life is a precious gift and Hoosiers deserve every chance to fight for themselves and their loved ones. Following the leadership of Governor Pence and the Indiana legislature, I am proud to work with Rep. Salmon to introduce federal Right to Try legislation. With these reforms, we can we keep the government on the side of patients and families as they work with their doctors to try every possible life-saving treatment," said Stutzman

Background:

* Twenty-two states, including Indiana, have adopted Right to Try legislation since the movement first began in 2014.

* This federal bill gives partiality to state law, most of which require that patients need approval only from their physician (a prescription) and the drug company to gain access to investigational drugs and treatments.

* Currently, the process requires an advising physician, approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB), and completion of the FDA's application--which the agency estimates takes about 100 hours to complete.

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