CARSON CITY, Nev. (Apr. 17, 2015) – A bill that would nullify in practice some Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that prevent terminally ill patients from accessing treatments passed unanimously through the Nevada state Assembly yesterday. The vote was 41-0.
Introduced by Assemblyman James Ohrenschall (D-Las Vegas) and 15 bipartisan co-sponsors, Assembly Bill 164 (AB164) gives terminally ill patients access to medicines that have not been given final approval for use by the FDA. It passed the state Assembly unanimously with a 41-0 vote on April 16.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act prohibits general access to experimental drugs. However, under the expanded access provision of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. 360bbb, patients with serious or immediately life-threatening diseases may access experimental drugs after receiving express FDA approval. AB164 bypasses the FDA expanded access program and allows patients to obtain experimental drugs from manufacturers without obtaining FDA approval. This procedure directly conflicts with the federal expanded access program and effectively nullifies it in practice.
“The Right to Try Act is a no-brainer,” said Mike Maharrey of the Tenth Amendment Center. “When someone is on their deathbed, the fact that FDA regulations would let them die rather than try, has got to be one of the most inhumane policies of the federal government. Every state should nullify the FDA like this.”
Health care providers are also protected under the bills, with a prohibition against revoking a license or issuing sanctions based on recommendation or issuance of such investigational treatments. AB164 reads, in part:
An osteopathic physician is not subject to disciplinary action for prescribing or recommending an investigational drug, biological product or device.
In addition, state officials are barred from unlawfully interfering in the process of patients receiving experimental drugs and procedures under AB164. It reads, in part:
An officer, employee or agent of this State shall not prevent or attempt to prevent a patient from accessing an investigational drug, biological product or device that is authorized to be provided or made available
AB164 is an important step in the right direction toward health freedom. Legislatures in fourteen other states have already passed Right to Try Laws similar to this Nevada bill, and more than 20 states are considering such measures in 2015.
Although these laws only address one small aspect of FDA regulation, they provide us with a clear model demonstrating how to nullify federal statutes that violate the Constitution. The strategy narrows the influence of nullification to limited aspects of the law itself. The strategy works because it focuses on ending specific federal policies large numbers of Americans from across the political spectrum oppose.
Now that AB164 has passed through the state Assembly successfully, the state Senate must concur with their decision before the bill can be put onto the Governor’s desk.
ACTION ITEMS
For Nevada: Take measures to support this bill AT THIS LINK.
For other states: Take the steps to get a similar bill passed in your state at this link.