Tennessee governor signs expansion of 'Right to Try' for terminally ill patients

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Last month, Governor Bill Lee signed off on the expansion of a 2015 law, informally known as the "Right to Try" law, that affords more rights to those who are terminally ill or suffering from life-threatening diseases.

Tennessee, along with Arizona, Nevada, Louisiana, Maryland, and Mississippi all have what’s called "Right to Try" laws on the books which allow patients to access individualized, cutting-edge investigational treatments as a last resort option despite FDA regulations. Most of these therapies are explored out of the country and patients would be allowed to bypass FDA regulations to continue that care from the comfort of their home.

This legislative session, Tennessee lawmakers pushed for even more coverage with the "Right to Try 2.0" law which would extend these permissions to also allow tailored genetic profiles and treatment options when all other courses of action have been exhausted.

As advocates of Medical Freedom, The Beacon Center of Tennessee celebrated this victory. "Terminally ill or not, we should never stand in the way of someone trying to save their own life. We should be opening doors not closing doors, and that’s exactly what right to try 2.0 does" says Kylie Walker, Beacon Center's Communications Director.

These experimental therapies are usually obtained outside the U.S. and are not FDA-approved. This law issues an exception for those patients.

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