House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	August 16, 2018 03:46 PM
From:	Representative Robert W. Godshall
To:	All House members
Subject:	Expansion of Right to Try

In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation expanding access to investigational stem cell treatments for those with chronic and terminal illnesses. This session, legislation that I sponsored was signed into law allowing patients with certain terminal illnesses to access certain investigational drugs, biological products and devices that were being used in clinical trials. This legislation—the Right to Try Act—was signed into law as Act 33 of 2017. More than 41 states have enacted Right to Try laws; however, Texas recently became the first state to expand its Right to Try law to allow patients with chronic and terminal illnesses access to experimental stem cell interventions. Stem cells are used in several ways to treat cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes, heart disease and much more. Therefore, I plan on introducing legislation similar to Texas’ ‘Charlie’s Law’ to expand our Right to Try law in Pennsylvania and provide access to adult stem cell therapies for both the terminally ill population and those with severe chronic illnesses. I believe that patients who have a terminal or severe chronic illness have a fundamental right to attempt to pursue the preservation of their own lives by accessing available investigational treatments. I hope you will join in co-sponsoring this important, life-saving legislation. Thank you for your interest and support.

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