Colorado’s Next Summit: Expanding Medical Freedom with Right to Try 2.0

Colorado is my home—a place teeming with life, adventure, and a spirit of independence that I deeply cherish. From the towering peaks of the Rockies to the vibrant city streets, I see every day how our state thrives on innovation and resilience. We need to apply that same spirit to expanding medical freedom by passing the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments.

Colorado has a history of leading the nation on medical innovation. In 2014, we became the first state to pass the original Right to Try law, which empowered terminally ill patients to access cutting-edge, experimental treatments when all other options had failed. This law was a groundbreaking step toward patient autonomy, recognizing that those facing life-threatening conditions and rare diseases deserve the freedom to fight for their lives.

The Right to Try law made its way through legislatures across America, passing in another 40 states before being signed into federal law in 2018. Right to Try is saving lives today—but as science and medicine continue to evolve, so must our laws.

The Right to Try for Individualized Treatments, also known as Right to Try 2.0, is the natural next step in expanding freedom and access to life-saving treatments. This new law empowers patients with rare diseases to receive treatments tailored to their own genetics, without having to wait months or years that they don’t have for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

This week, Goldwater Institute experts went to the Colorado Capitol to champion HB 1270, a critical piece of legislation sponsored by House Minority Leader Rep. Rose Pugliese and Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist. The bill passed through the House Health and Human Services Committee with unanimous support, signaling that Colorado is ready to take the next step in advancing medical freedom.

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Approximately 30 million Americans live with rare diseases that have no available treatments or cures, and half of them are children. The last thing we need is for bureaucracy to halt medical innovation. For many Coloradans suffering from conditions like ALS, multiple sclerosis, or other rare diseases with few available treatments, this could mean the difference between hope and despair.

Coloradans should have the right to explore every possible avenue for their health and well-being, and patients and doctors should have every tool available to fight disease without unnecessary government interference.

The people of Colorado—my neighbors, friends, and family—deserve the right to pursue lifesaving and life-enhancing treatments. By supporting Right to Try 2.0, Colorado can continue its legacy of freedom, innovation, and compassion. It’s time to act. Let’s make Colorado a leader once again and pass Right to Try 2.0.

You can learn more about the bill here and learn more about the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments here.

Fiona Baum is the Marketing and Digital Communications Manager at the Goldwater Institute.