Baker Institute expert: ‘Right-to-try’ legislation ‘harmful to both patients and public good by delaying the clinical trial process’

Jeff Falk
713-348-6775
jfalk@rice.edu

Baker Institute expert: ‘Right-to-try’ legislation ‘harmful to both patients and public good by delaying the clinical trial process’

HOUSTON – (May 29, 2018) – Patients with life-threatening conditions can soon have a new way to ask drugmakers for medicines the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t yet approved if President Donald Trump, as is expected, signs “right-to-try” legislation that passed the House May 22. But an expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy has concerns about the legislation.

Credit: 123RF.com/Rice University

Kirstin Matthews, a fellow in science and technology policy in the Center for Health and Biosciences at the Baker Institute, said the legislation “is written with good intentions but does not provide patients with a meaningful new mechanism to access investigational drugs — this already exists in the FDA expanded-access program.” Matthews is available to discuss the origins and implications of this legislation with the media.

“Instead, the laws can be harmful to both patients and public good by delaying the clinical trial process,” Matthews said. “Patient advocates should work with the FDA and pharmaceutical companies to improve the current federal system. This includes incentivizing the companies to provide the drug at little to no cost through federal subsidies or tax breaks for the company during production.”

To interview Matthews, contact Jeff Falk, associate director of national media relations at Rice, at jfalk@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.

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Related materials:

Matthews biography: http://bakerinstitute.org/experts/kirstin-rw-matthews.

Founded in 1993, Rice University’s Baker Institute ranks among the top three university-affiliated think tanks in the world. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. The institute’s strong track record of achievement reflects the work of its endowed fellows, Rice University faculty scholars and staff, coupled with its outreach to the Rice student body through fellow-taught classes — including a public policy course — and student leadership and internship programs. Learn more about the institute at www.bakerinstitute.org or on the institute’s blog, http://blogs.chron.com/bakerblog.