North Carolina House of Representatives Rep. Tim Moore Rep. Mike
Hager Speaker of the House House Majority Leader
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mollie Young Tuesday June 23,
2015 919-733-5917 General Assembly Approves Right to Try Act Gives
Terminally Ill Patients New Hope
Raleigh, NC Today, the North Carolina Senate passed HB-652:
Right to Try Act for Terminally Ill Patient, a bill that would
establish a process by which eligible patients who are terminally
ill could obtain access to investigational drugs, biological
products, and devices so long as various requirements are met. This
is a critical step for the bill to become law; HB-652 now awaits
signature from Governor McCrory.We are pleased that our colleagues
in the Senate also understand the importance of giving terminally
ill North Carolinians more freedom to make personal healthcare
choices, Speaker Moore (R-Cleveland) stated on Tuesday.
When faced with life-or-death decisions, patients should be able
to exercise all available options, Majority Leader Mike Hager
(R-Rutherford), a primary sponsor of HB-652, stated. This important
issue came to my attention when a constituent of mine reached out
to share her story. She is living today, three years past her
terminal diagnoses, because of her participation in multiple
clinical trials. She raised the point to me; however, that many
people dont have the overall physical health, family support, or
financial means to travel to distant research facilities and meet
the strict FDA guidelines. This bill was drafted to give my
constituent, and the many others with similar stories, a chance at
life.
This bill simply gives the most critical patients an opportunity
to try innovative medicines and technologies that are still hung up
in FDA approval stages, stated Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke), a
primary sponsor on HB-652. Its a common-sense law that we hope will
provide a ray of hope for many people.
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OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER
