President Trump has signed into law the so-called “Right To Try” bill. In essence, this gives those people who are dying from such illnesses as cancer the opportunity to undertake medical treatments that have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While this sounds like a good thing, the devil, as always, is in the details.
Irrational Thinking Does Not Help
Many people think that there are cures and treatments available that the FDA simply won’t approve or will take too long to bring to market. This line of thinking suggests that the government is hiding the best chance that the dying have to be cured. But, this thinking is not rational. It is tinged in conspiracy and plays on the worst of our instincts. For someone who is dying, the lure of these unapproved treatments may prove irresistible.
The FDA Has Its Reasons
The FDA has sound reasons for withholding approval on many treatments. Some look promising, but they end up doing more harm than good. You don’t need a long memory to recall “wonder” drugs that either failed or made people worse. In the face of death, almost anything looks feasible. But, the Right To Try law might bring more suffering rather than less. Unapproved drugs could cause additional problems or even bring about death sooner.
Drug Companies Fear Lawsuits
Keep in mind, too, that drug companies are not likely to eagerly dispense drugs that lack FDA approval. The threat of being sued if something goes wrong will play a significant role in how pharmaceutical companies respond to the Right To Try law. I suspect that without the government giving drug companies immunity from litigation, most of them will opt out of providing unapproved drugs to dying patients.
A Search For A Cure Or Just Human Experimentation?
Time will tell if this new law will assist the dying. President Trump apparently believes that this law will save hundreds of thousands of lives. This is delusional thinking and nothing good comes from delusion. Time will tell whether this new law helps people or simply opens the door to human experimentation.
What do you think? Would you be willing to take drugs or other treatments not yet approved by the FDA? Let me know.
