Brown Rejects ‘Right-To-Try’ Legislation To Expand Access to Experimental Medications
On Sunday, Gov. Jerry Brown (D) vetoed a bill (AB 159) that aimed to give patients with terminal illnesses greater access to experimental medications by allowing those who had tried all other viable treatment options to request drugs that have not yet been approved by FDA. In a message to lawmakers, Brown said that FDA already allows terminally ill patients to try experimental drugs through its compassionate use program, noting, "Before authorizing an alternative state pathway, we should give this federal expedited process a chance to work."
- "'Right To Try' Bill: Brown Rejects Proposal To Let Terminal Patients Use Unapproved Drugs and Devices" (Seipel, San Jose Mercury News, 10/12).