Oklahoma is among 29 states considering “Right to Try” legislation, and the state’s version is headed to the full House.
The Public Health Committee passed the bill 10–0. Goldwater Institute attorney Christina Sandefur was on hand to testify about Rep. Richard Morrissette’s bill. She said it will grant terminally ill patients access to drugs that have passed the first phase of FDA testing.
"We don't know whether those medications will work, but we do know that if these terminally ill patients are not able to take these medications, then they will certainly die," Sandefur said.
Rep. Richard Morrissette wrote House Bill 1074. He was initially resistant to an amendment that would have pharmacists dispense the drugs, adding a step to the process.
"We are talking about terminally ill patients that are at the end-of-life stage," Morrissette said. "We are throwing a Hail Mary into the wind."
Rep. David Derby’s amendment was written to say pharmacists may dispense the drugs. He said he knows manufacturers could just mail them.
"It's not necessarily access to the medication, but it's about having a conversation with the patient during the time that they're taking the medication so that we can kind of hold their hand through the process," Derby said.
Derby said his concern is mainly for patients in rural areas.
Five states already have these kinds of laws on the books. Patients must have exhausted all conventional treatment options and give informed consent, acknowledging the potential risks of a drug.
