Tennesseans with rare diseases can now seek cutting-edge personalized treatments after the Volunteer State this week joined a growing movement of states in adopting the Goldwater Institute’s landmark Right to Try for Individualized Treatments.
Sponsored by Rep. Bryan Terry and Sen. Bo Watson and signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee, HB 192 and SB 282 expand Goldwater’s original Right to Try law to potentially lifesaving treatments that are designed specifically for individual patients. The Goldwater Institute was honored to work alongside the Beacon Center of Tennessee to advance this lifesaving legislation.
In enacting this innovative reform, Tennessee joins a growing national movement to empower Americans facing rare and ultra-rare diseases to work with their physicians to seek highly specialized treatments that are as unique as they are. Tennessee is now the eighth state since 2022 to champion this crucial expansion, joining Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, and Arkansas.
This new law marks a profound shift toward personalized medicine and a much-needed acknowledgment of the limitations within the traditional regulatory framework. The Right to Try for Individualized Treatments builds upon the success of the original Right to Try, a reform created by the Goldwater Institute and enacted in 41 states before it was signed into federal law in 2018. The original Right to Try allows terminally ill patients to access investigational treatments that have completed Phase I clinical trials but are not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—and it is saving lives around the country.
But today, the latest innovations in medicine are made specifically for each patient, based on their genetics, and by definition cannot go through the FDA’s outdated regulatory processes in a timely manner. After all, the FDA’s “one-size-fits-all” clinical trial system is designed for large patient populations and ill-suited for the complexities of rare diseases. With 95% of rare diseases lacking FDA-approved treatments, there’s an urgent need for reform.
The federal government’s slow pace in adapting its regulatory framework has left many patients with limited options. States like Tennessee are stepping up to fill this void, ensuring patients are not denied access to potentially lifesaving treatments due to bureaucratic obstacles.
For 23-year-old Elijah Stacy, who has suffered from a rare genetic, progressive muscle-wasting disease called Duchenne muscular dystrophy since he was six, the need for the law is as clear as can be.
“Somebody that doesn’t even know me has written in a law which is stopping me from being able to take a drug today, that could potentially totally change the course of my life,” Elijah says, underscoring the frustration and desperation faced by countless individuals battling rare diseases.
Similarly, the stories of families like the Rileys of Arizona, who had to seek treatment abroad when their infant was diagnosed with a rare genetic brain disease, highlight the desperate measures families are forced to take when confronted with limited options.
This victory in Tennessee represents a significant step toward a future where individuals with rare diseases can access the most innovative and promising treatments without begging the federal government for permission.
The Goldwater Institute will continue to urge lawmakers across the nation to adopt these necessary reforms, recognizing the profound impact of the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments on patients and their families. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rep. Bryan Terry, Senator Bo Watson, Governor Bill Lee, the Beacon Center of Tennessee, and all the dedicated advocates in Tennessee who championed this life-affirming legislation.
Brian Norman is the Director of State Affairs at the Goldwater Institute.
