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agness · 02-04-2016, 11:27 PM

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summ...2016&bill=6550

Find your Washington State reps here:
http://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/

----------

If You Are in a State That Doesn't Yet Have Right to Try

Write to your state reps (house and senate) and tell why you think they need this law in your state.

Right to Try Laws are Already Happening

Point out that it has already passed in many other states and include the RAPS legislation link. They can easily get a hold of what the laws entail that way which helps move it more quickly. Point out that your state is behind this and the citizens deserve these rights.

RAPS - Right to Try Legislation Tracker
http://www.raps.org/Regulatory-Focus...slation-Tracke...

What About Liability?

Patients, oncology professionals, drug companies and limitation of liability are already things that are happening through the Investigational New Drug program. Drug manufacturers can decide whether it is a reasonable request as well. This just helps get access without getting caught up in clinical trial process that is oriented towards bringing drugs to market -- that is a strange realization but true, folks are being denied due to business-driven factors.

Who Would Pay?

The patient is responsible for treatment costs. Insurance companies don't pay for clinical trials or unapproved drugs right now and that wouldn't change. Drug companies can decide to charge less and insurance companies sometimes do pay peripheral costs. It needs to change but given the alternatives right now I would rather have the option than not. We will have to fight the clinical trial funding battle a different way.

Make it Personal

Give them a real sob story too - about a friend or loved one, or yourself. My friend who drove me to Olympia ran into someone yesterday while waiting for the school bus and the other woman immediately had a story about how her husband had died from brain cancer tens years ago and absolutely she was in support of it. You probably know many stories and they aren't all cancer-related as there are other conditions that also might benefit.

Why Right to Try?

Someone in the WA State House of Representatives framed it this way in the context of the laws in our state: if we allow patients the right to Death with Dignity they why can't we also give patients the right to try to save their lives?

Some Poignant and Timely Oncology Drug Stats

This is a really compelling article when you get to the middle and see the drug development pipeline stats:

"Across the pharmaceutical industry as a whole, the oncology pipeline is far larger than any other therapy area, with 6,484 products in active development across all oncology indications, reflecting this unmet need. Of these, some 2,084 are first-in-class, meaning that they act on a molecular target not targeted by any marketed product across the industry. Some 46% of pipeline oncology products with a disclosed molecular target are first-in-class, reflecting a very high level of innovation."

http://gbiresearch.com/media-center/...sites-ushers-i...

Look how many drugs -- over 2000 -- are the first of their kind and yet aren't available yet.

02-04-2016, 11:27 PM	#3
agness Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 285	Re: Right to Try Laws http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summ...2016&bill=6550 Find your Washington State reps here: http://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/ ---------- If You Are in a State That Doesn't Yet Have Right to Try Write to your state reps (house and senate) and tell why you think they need this law in your state. Right to Try Laws are Already Happening Point out that it has already passed in many other states and include the RAPS legislation link. They can easily get a hold of what the laws entail that way which helps move it more quickly. Point out that your state is behind this and the citizens deserve these rights. RAPS - Right to Try Legislation Tracker http://www.raps.org/Regulatory-Focus...slation-Tracke... What About Liability? Patients, oncology professionals, drug companies and limitation of liability are already things that are happening through the Investigational New Drug program. Drug manufacturers can decide whether it is a reasonable request as well. This just helps get access without getting caught up in clinical trial process that is oriented towards bringing drugs to market -- that is a strange realization but true, folks are being denied due to business-driven factors. Who Would Pay? The patient is responsible for treatment costs. Insurance companies don't pay for clinical trials or unapproved drugs right now and that wouldn't change. Drug companies can decide to charge less and insurance companies sometimes do pay peripheral costs. It needs to change but given the alternatives right now I would rather have the option than not. We will have to fight the clinical trial funding battle a different way. Make it Personal Give them a real sob story too - about a friend or loved one, or yourself. My friend who drove me to Olympia ran into someone yesterday while waiting for the school bus and the other woman immediately had a story about how her husband had died from brain cancer tens years ago and absolutely she was in support of it. You probably know many stories and they aren't all cancer-related as there are other conditions that also might benefit. Why Right to Try? Someone in the WA State House of Representatives framed it this way in the context of the laws in our state: if we allow patients the right to Death with Dignity they why can't we also give patients the right to try to save their lives? Some Poignant and Timely Oncology Drug Stats This is a really compelling article when you get to the middle and see the drug development pipeline stats: "Across the pharmaceutical industry as a whole, the oncology pipeline is far larger than any other therapy area, with 6,484 products in active development across all oncology indications, reflecting this unmet need. Of these, some 2,084 are first-in-class, meaning that they act on a molecular target not targeted by any marketed product across the industry. Some 46% of pipeline oncology products with a disclosed molecular target are first-in-class, reflecting a very high level of innovation." http://gbiresearch.com/media-center/...sites-ushers-i... Look how many drugs -- over 2000 -- are the first of their kind and yet aren't available yet.