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These patients don't have time to wait

June 11, 2015

Originally written by Dan Noon for 760 KFMB

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam recently signed a bill called Right to Try which will give patients access to new medications. Right to Try will allow patients to try drugs that the Food and Drug Administration considers safe.

Most of those drugs are still in clinical trials and have not yet received the FDA’s final approval. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. In 2009 my cancer came back… it is not curable,” said Oncology patient Peggy Thomas. Thomas’s 15 year fight against cancer is nearing critical point.

“Chemos for my type of cancer are nearly exhausted so I am going to have to be looking close at other options,” said Thomas. With Right to Try in place, Thomas and her doctor, Dr. Mack Matthews are considering what this means for the future of her health care. “I think it legitimizes opportunity for patients to have increased access to potentially new drugs that are being developed under clinical trials,” said Matthews.

 

 

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